Enhanced Air Policing jets participated in Exercise Thracian Star

Italian Eurofighter, Romanian F-16 and Bulgarian Mig-29 fly together during Exercise Thracian Star 2019.

From 8 to 17 May Eurofighter jets and military personnel of the Italian enhanced Air Policing detachment in Romania participated in the Bulgarian-led international live-fly Exercise Thracian Star 2019. The objective of the exercise was to increase the level of interoperability in combined operations by enhancing the flight and tactical training of personnel in a complex scenario, as well as to standardize and improve tactics, techniques and procedures.

Exercise Thracian Star 2019 was hosted by NATO member Bulgaria, which contributed to the training event with MiG-29 and L39ZA fighter jets, as well as AS—532AL Cougar and Mi-24 helicopters. Other participating member nations were Greece, contributing with F-16 fighter jets, and Romania, contributing with F-16 and MiG-21 fighter jets.

The Italian jets that participated in Thracian Star are deployed to Romania under NATO’s enhanced Air Policing mission and based at Mihail Kogalniceanu Airbase in Eastern Romania. Until the end of August their mission is to secure the NATO skies over Romania alongside their Romanian colleagues as part of NATO’s Assurance measures.

Source: Allied Air Command PAO

Image: Italian Air Force