Fighter and transport jets to fly over Bucharest for Aviation and Air Force Day

Fighter and transport aircraft, namely the F-16 Fighting Falcon, Eurofighter Typhoon, C-130 Hercules, C-27J Spartan, military helicopters, and civilian aircraft flew over Bucharest for the Romanian Aviation Day and Air Force Day.

A military and religious ceremony also took place at the Air Heroes Monument in Aviatorilor Square, with the laying of floral wreaths in memory of aviation heroes, according to a statement from the Ministry of National Defense (MApN) quoted by Agerpres.

Romanian Air Force military aircraft, including the F-16 Fighting Falcon, C-130 Hercules, C-27J Spartan, IAR-330, and IAR-99 performed aerial maneuvers. Also participating were the EC-135 helicopters belonging to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, IAR 330 helicopters from the Romanian Intelligence Service, a Boeing 737 aircraft belonging to Tarom, Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft from the Italian Air Force, and Extra 300 aircraft from the Romanian Aeroclub.

In addition, to mark the 110th anniversary of the establishment of the first Military Aeronautics structure, a commemorative concert performed by the Bucharest Symphony Orchestra will be held at the Romanian Athenaeum on the same day, starting at 7:00 p.m.

The Romanian Aviation Day and Air Force Day are celebrated every year on July 20, the feast day of the Prophet Elijah of Thessalonica, the spiritual patron of pilots. On April 1, 1913, the first law on the organization of military aeronautics in Romania came into force. Based on Article 1 of the law, the first components of the air forces - aviation and ballooning - were subordinated to a specialized command structure called the Military Aeronautics Service, thus establishing a new category of armed forces, the Air Force. Currently, the Romanian Air Force demonstrates notable achievements in training and interoperability through participation in national and multinational exercises, as well as in domestic and international missions.

At present, a detachment consisting of four F-16 multirole fighter aircraft and the designated personnel, named "Carpathian Vipers," is deployed at Siauliai Air Base in Lithuania and provides enhanced Air Policing missions in the Baltic countries during the period from April to July 2023. The detachment's mission is to protect the airspace of the Baltic States and is a fundamental component of NATO's commitment to its members.

(Photo source: Inquam Photos | Octav Ganea)