Combat Aircraft – August 2019

A

DOZEN F16C FIGHTING

Falcons from the 457th

Fighter Squadron ‘Spads’,

belonging to the 301st

Fighter Wing at Fort Worth,

Texas, deployed to Baza

71 Aeriana at Câmpia Turzii in Romania

during May. The deployment, which will

end in late July, is part of the Theater

Security Package (TSP) program to

support Operation ‘Atlantic Resolve’.

As well as sending a strong message

to Russia, these deployments promote

relations between the partners of

the North Atlantic alliance. Such a

deployment additionally a ords pilots in

the region the opportunity of working

with US hardware and personnel at

close quarters. The Fortele Aeriene

ale Romaniei (Romanian Air Force)

has a particular interest in having its

MiG-21 LanceR pilots engage in tactical

intercepts, air combat maneuvers and

air-to-ground missions with their US

counterparts as a means of preparing

them for the future. The Romanian Air

Force acquired a dozen second-hand

F-16s from Portugal in 2013 and is

considering the purchase of further

aircraft direct from the US to complete

the replacement of its ageing MiGs. It

has already agreed to take on  ve extra

jets, also expected to be sourced from

Portugal. More are expected to follow.

During its stay in Europe, the Air

Force Reserve Command team from

Texas participated in multiple exercises

around eastern Europe including ‘Astral

Knight’ and ‘Decisive Strike’ alongside

NATO partners.

Below: Confi gured

with AIM-9X

Sidewinder

and AIM-120

AMRAAMs, a

‘Spads’ Block

30 F-16C gets

airborne for air-to-

air training.

Right: The F-16s

worked alongside

the resident

LanceR-Cs and

Bs of Escadrila 711

Aviatie Lupta.

Below right:

Young Romanian

LanceR pilots will

soon be fl ying

F-16s, and an

exercise such as

‘Atlantic Resolve’

provides valuable

experience.

The 457th Fighter Squadron is in Europe and undertaking a number of high-

profi le exercises as part of Operation ‘Atlantic Resolve’.

REPORT AND PHOTOS Patrice Dochain

EXERCISE REPORT // ‘ATLANTIC RESOLVE’

56 August 2019 //^ http://www.combataircraft.net

56-57 Atlantic Resolve C.indd 56 20/06/2019 22:39