These new shipments come in response to an appeal launched by the NATO Air Command (Aircom), for countries to increase their contributions in a sustainable manner over time, to strengthen the air shield on the eastern flank, in the face of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. .
According to the Spanish Ministry of Defense, in a statement carried by the Efe Agency, a new detachment is scheduled to be sent to Bulgaria between November 14 and December 2.
Spain will send a tactical air detachment of six Eurofighters and 130 soldiers to the Bessemer Air Base, with the aim of carrying out air and police training missions, if required by the Atlantic Alliance.
The planned deployment in Romania begins on December 1 and will continue until March 31, 2023, at the Vitesse air base, with eight F18Ms and 130 military personnel, who will also carry out training and air police missions.
This detachment will join those sent on October 17 to the Romanian Chito barracks, where DAT Tigru will remain until March 31 (extendable period until June 30), composed of a long-range aerial surveillance radar to control the area of the eastern flank of NATO.
The radar left the port of Cartagena, bound for the Roman city of Costanza, on October 10, and 38 soldiers were deployed to keep it active 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February, Spain has sent tactical air detachments to Bulgaria (four Eurofighters, 133 soldiers), Lithuania (eight F-18s, 130 soldiers) and Estonia (four Eurofighters, 70 soldiers) until September.
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