Chief of the Air Staff visits RAF Typhoons deployed on Nato policing duties

The Chief of the Air Staff has visited 140 Expeditionary Air Wing in Romania where they are protecting Nato's eastern flank, close to the Black Sea.

Six Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter jets from IX (Bomber) Squadron are flying alongside the Romanian air force as part of Nato's enhanced Air Policing (eAP) mission until August.

The Chief of Joint Operations posted about Air Chief Marshal Sir Rich Knighton's visit on X, saying he met his Finnish and Romanian counterparts and presented Wider Service Medals to qualifying personnel.

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The RAF Typhoons are on standby ready to launch Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) intercepts of Russian aircraft approaching Nato airspace.

Their four-month deployment, known as Operation Biloxi, involves more than 200 RAF personnel from 140 Expeditionary Air Wing (140EAW) based at RAF Lossiemouth.

This will be the fifth time the RAF has participated in the air policing mission in Romania.

Countries involved in Nato's air policing missions rotate regularly, with the RAF having intercepted more than 50 Russian aircraft in the first half of last year while leading the alliance's eAP mission from Estonia.

In 2022, four jets from 3 (Fighter) Squadron helped secure the Black Sea region, working from Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base.

Aircraft frequently intercepted by the RAF during previous air policing missions include Russian long-range strategic bombers, surveillance and transport aircraft.