F-15E Airmen train in Romania

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Kristopher Levasseur
  • 48th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
CAMPIA TURZII, Romania --  Airmen from the 48th Fighter Wing at RAF Lakenheath, England, are at Campia Turzii, Romania, with their F-15E Strike Eagles to train with Romanian Air Force counterparts.

Strike Lance 2009, a recurring flying training deployment, lasts through April 30 and includes more than 250 Air Force personnel and 12 F-15E's from the 48th FW and the 494th Fighter Squadron.

The deployment demonstrates the continuing commitment of U.S. Air Forces in Europe to train with and support NATO allies, which strengths relations and interoperability between the U.S. Air Force and the Romanian Air Force, said Lt. Col. John Bunnell, 494th FS commander.

"Exercises like this one are a good opportunity to train together and bring both us and the Romanian Air Force to a higher level of capability and standardization," said Colonel Bunnell.

The 494th FS will train with the Romanian Air Force's 71st Air Base Squadron, which flies Romanian MiG-21s.

"It is good for us to work together as we have in the past to set the standards on the ground and in the air so that we can fly shoulder to shoulder down range," said Lt. Cdor. Marian Dobre, Campia Turzii public relations officer.

Commander Dobre added that this is the second "Lance" exercise in which the U.S. Air Force has participated.

"We are very excited to be here," said Colonel Bunnell. "The Romanians have been very gracious hosts. They have bent over backwards to provide for all of our needs here."

While here, the 494th FS will be dropping inert munitions. Inert munitions have identical trajectories to live weapons allowing for realistic training while offering reduced costs and increased safety. The munitions are filled with concrete or sand.

"We have a two-fold purpose here," said Colonel Bunnell. "First, we have a chance to test our air-to-air skills against an airframe we have had very little experience with, and the Romanian Air Force will get a chance to practice against current technologies. Second, we are using the opportunity to fly in airspace and use a bombing range to practice with heavy munitions that we are not capable of deploying on the ranges near RAF Lakenheath."