21st July 2024 marked the first ever deployment of the USAF strategic bombers to Romania. On that day, two B-52H Stratofortress aircraft assigned to the 2nd Bomb Wing from Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana, arrived at Mihail Kogălniceanu airfield, located near Constanța and close to the Black Sea coast.
During their deployment, the B-52Hs operate as the 20th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron. According to the official USAF statement, the goal of the Romanian mission is to ´integrate with NATO allies and other international partners to synchronize capabilities and assure security commitments across the U.S. European Command area of responsibility´.
´In today’s global environment, it is vital that we be postured to deliver a range of sustainable capability from great distances. This iteration of Bomber Task Force offers an excellent opportunity to refine our agile combat employment tactics, techniques, and procedures´, said Gen. James Hecker, USAFE-AFAFRICA commander. ´Through collaborative efforts with our allies, the US enables our forces to combat current and future threats´.
An interesting fact is that, on their way to Romania, the USAF B-52s were intercepted by Russian fighters in international airspace over the Barents Sea. Nevertheless, the bombers continued along their scheduled flight plan and no incident was reported. During their further flight, the Stratofortress aircraft were subsequently escorted by Finnish F/A-18 Hornets, German Eurofighters and the Romanian F-16 Fighting Falcons fighter jets.
Although the current deployment is the first time the USAF strategic bombers are operating from Romania, it is not the first time that nuclear strategic jets visited the Mihail Kogălniceanu airfield. In June of 2023, two B-1B Lancer strategic bombers assigned to the 7th Bomb Wing stopped at the base for a hot-pit refuel, performed within the international aviation exercise Air Defender 2023.
Baza 57 Aeriană ´Căpitan Aviator Constantin Cantacuzino´ (the 57th Air Base ´Captain Aviator Constantin Cantacuzino´) – commonly known as Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base, due to its location within the Constanța airport – is very often used by the NATO air forces during the joint exercises and regular deployments, such as Enhanced Air Policing.
The base is also home of V Corps of the United States Army Europe and Africa and the 572nd Helicopter Squadron of the Romanian Air Force.
In 2024, works on modernisation and extension of the air base began, together with creating a military city for 10,000 – 50,000 Allied soldiers and their families (numbers varies, depending on the source). The project is scheduled for more than twenty years and, after its conclusion, the Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base is expected to be the biggest NATO military aviation base in Europe.
Cover photo: A KC-135 Stratotanker from the 100th Air Refueling Wing refuels a B-52H Stratofortress from the 2nd Bomb Wing, while escorted by a Finnish F/A-18C Hornet during Bomber Task Force deployment 24-4, 21 July 2024 (source: DVIDS).
All photos and quotations © U.S. Department of Defence (DoD). DoD information materials were used, in compliance with Public Domain licence. The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.
