Typhoons To Deploy To Black Sea To Reassure Eastern European Allies

Four RAF Typhoon fast jets will deploy to Romania as part of the UK's contribution to NATO’s Southern Air Policing mission, the Defence Secretary has announced.

Sir Michael Fallon has also confirmed that the Typhoons to lead the deployment will come from Royal Air Force 3 (Fighter) Squadron.

He said:

"The UK is stepping up its support for NATO’s collective defence from the north to the south of the alliance. With this deployment, RAF planes will be ready to secure NATO airspace and provide reassurance to our allies in the Black Sea region."

The Typhoons will fly from RAF Coningsby to Mihail Kogalniceanu Airbase in south-east Romania, where they will remain for up to four months, working side-by-side with the Romanian Air Force.

The UK is the first nation to provide jets to this NATO mission.

Equipment and vehicles have been loaded into containers at RAF Coningsby today in preparation for the deployment.

They will be carried to Hampshire by lorry, and then will arrive in Romania by sea.

Sir Michael Fallon agreed to the contribution during the NATO defence ministerial talks last autumn, and confirmed the timing of the deployment and squadron name at the International Parliamentary Conference on National Security.

It follows the recent deployment of British troops to Estonia as part of NATO’s Enhanced Forward Presence.

3 Squadron was formed in 1912 and was the first to be equipped with heavier-than-air machines.