The contingent of the Paznic Tactical Air Detachment returns to Romania

For three weeks, 53 Spanish service members will reinforce Air Policing on the Alliance’s eastern flank

Starting today and until 7 March, Spanish airmen from the Tactical Air Detachment (TAD) Paznic will join Block 70 of NATO's Enhanced Air Policing (eAP) mission in Romania, marking Spain's return to this allied country.

During the deployment, TAD Paznic, under the command of Commander Félix Diéguez Pita, will operate alongside the German Air Force’s 71st Tactical Air Wing to conduct joint exercises and enhanced Air Policing missions on the Alliance’s eastern flank.

The main objectives of the eAP-70 mission are to safeguard the integrity of Allied airspace, enhance interoperability and joint training with the German Air Force, and demonstrate NATO's capability to quickly respond to any air threat.

TAD Paznic is based at Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base, near the coastal city of Constanța. The detachment comprises 51 personnel from 14th Wing, which is based at Los Llanos Air Base, Albacete, with the support of two members from the Armament and Experimentation Logistics Centre. In the coming days, three Eurofighter aircraft from 14th Wing, ready to carry out the air mission, will join the detachment.

For Commander Diéguez, this mission represents “another opportunity to demonstrate Spain’s commitment to the Atlantic Alliance. On this occasion, our support is even more significant, as this deployment aims to strengthen the Agile Combat Employment concept, designed to increase interoperability among Allied nations.”

He highlighted the integration with the German detachment, which will foster the exchange and harmonisation of procedures between the Spanish Air and Space Force and the German Luftwaffe. “This is an excellent opportunity,” he noted, “to develop a collective working spirit and, ultimately, to combine joint efforts to contribute to the security of the Alliance through the execution of Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) missions and advanced training in Romanian airspace.”

This air contribution reflects Spain’s solidarity and commitment to collective defence and shared security with our Allies in Eastern Europe, where thousands of Spanish troops are currently deployed in land and air missions.

TAD Paznic: Spain’s commitment to NATO Air Defence

DAT 'Paznic's mission is to contribute to NATO's deterrence and defence on the eastern flank by monitoring airspace as eAP (Enhanced Air Policing) within NATO's Integrated Air and Missile Defence (IAMD). It is part of Operation Persistent Effort, which also includes TAD Vilkas in Lithuania, with the deployment of eleven EF-18M Hornet fighters from Wing 15 (Zaragoza) and a TK23 A400M from Wing 31 (Zaragoza); the TAD Tigru ,with the AN/TPS-43M air surveillance radar, also located in Romania; and, finally, the NASAMS Air Defence Units in Latvia and PATRIOT in Türkiye.