Defence Secretary Visits RAF Romania Air-Policing Mission

The Defence Secretary says Britain’s enhanced Air Policing (eAP) mission in Romania "sends a very clear message" to Moscow.

Four RAF Typhoons and around 150 service personnel, including pilots and technical staff, are in the country on Quick Reaction Alert (QRA).

So far, two intercept missions have been launched in three months, which the Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson says is evidence that the RAF presence is "working" to deter Russia from NATO airspace.

Mr Williamson visited the airbase where the RAF personnel are deployed to see how the two nations work together in what is the final week of the four-month mission.

Speaking to Forces News, Mr Williamson said: "It sends a very clear message not just to our friends that we are willing to stand beside them, shoulder-to-shoulder but also to our adversaries...nations that wish to do NATO, our allies and Britain harm.

"Our capability to be able to intercept those who maybe look to infringing airspace of Romania or of other nations, we can match them and that's what we've been doing with Romania."

Last week, two Typhoons scrambled after a Russian aircraft was close to entering NATO airspace over the Black Sea - however, no Russian aircraft has, in fact, infringed the airspace. 

Mr Williamson said: "What we've been seeing is that by having the Royal Air Force operating here in Romania, the number of times that Russia has looked at approaching Romanian airspace has dropped off dramatically.

"Because they realise there is the capability, there's the skills and the amazing Typhoon aircraft that is able to intercept them because it's actually showing that what we are doing is working, it's acting as a deterrent."    

On Thursday, it was announced that a new relationship between Britain and Romania will support a Romanian training exercise.

The Ministry of Defence also said Britain will have a "mentoring role" as part of the partnership with Romania, including a "classroom-based role".

Next year, the RAF will be also be carrying out similar missions to eAP in Iceland and Estonia. 

Mr Williamson said "we are going to be looking at options about how we continue supporting nations such as Romania".