Germany deploys Eurofighters to Romania for eight-month NATO air policing mission

The German Air Force officially assumed its role in NATO’s Enhanced Air Policing South (eAPS) mission in Romania on August 12, during a certification ceremony held at Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base near the city of Constanța. The event was attended by representatives from the Romanian Air Force, NATO's Allied Air Command (AIRCOM), and the German Embassy in Bucharest.

With this handover, the German detachment begins an eight-month deployment to support airspace surveillance on NATO’s southeastern flank.

Germany is contributing five Eurofighter combat aircraft and approximately 170 personnel to this mission, marking its fourth participation in Romania under NATO’s enhanced air policing efforts.

Markus Teglas, Germany’s Chargé d’Affaires in Romania, welcomed the deployment, stating that the renewed participation of the Eurofighter jets in the southern eAPS mission sends a strong signal to Romania and other NATO allies about Germany’s security policy commitments.

“We will work together to secure the territory of the Alliance. I thank the German soldiers for their important commitment to the NATO eAPS mission in Romania and our Romanian partners for their hospitality and excellent cooperation,” he said.

In his turn, Major General Michael Hogrebe noted the importance of action over words in defense efforts. He highlighted the pride of the German Air Force and other Bundeswehr units contributing to eAPS, noting that their presence is a visible demonstration of the determination to defend every inch of NATO territory.

He also thanked the Romanian Air Force for their professional reception and consistent hospitality toward the German detachment.

(Photo source: German Embassy in Romania; Kontingentführer eAPS)