NATO jets have been scrambled from the Mihail Kogalnicanu Air Base in Romania four times over the last 20 days in order to intercept Russian fighter jets over the Black Sea toward NATO territory.
Each time NATO jets were scrambled to intercept, the Russian fighter jets turned back away from NATO territory without incident, however.
Spanish Lt. Gen. Fernando De La Cruz Caravaca, commander of the NATO Combined Air Operations Center, spoke to Air Force Magazine and said, "You have more Russian aircraft flying around the Black Sea".
"We react to them anytime any Russian aircraft flies in the Black Sea,” he added. “We need to be sure that we are there, ready, in front of them, just in case".
Chief of Staff of the Italian Air Force Lt. Gen. Luca Goretti told Air Force Magazine, "When they take off from Crimea protecting their vessels on the Black Sea, they [Russian jets] might … fly over us".
"They might fly next to the boundaries and then turn back when they see us in the air. That gives a good indication that they can no longer move everywhere they want."
U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. William Parks, 480th Fighter Squadron detachment commander also told the magazine, "We’re executing 24/7 CAPs with all the NATO partners across the entire eastern front. It gives a chance for us to show that we are integrated completely with our NATO partners, and that includes in tight formations".
Each time NATO jets were scrambled to intercept, the Russian fighter jets turned back away from NATO territory without incident, however.
Spanish Lt. Gen. Fernando De La Cruz Caravaca, commander of the NATO Combined Air Operations Center, spoke to Air Force Magazine and said, "You have more Russian aircraft flying around the Black Sea".
"We react to them anytime any Russian aircraft flies in the Black Sea,” he added. “We need to be sure that we are there, ready, in front of them, just in case".
Chief of Staff of the Italian Air Force Lt. Gen. Luca Goretti told Air Force Magazine, "When they take off from Crimea protecting their vessels on the Black Sea, they [Russian jets] might … fly over us".
"They might fly next to the boundaries and then turn back when they see us in the air. That gives a good indication that they can no longer move everywhere they want."
U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. William Parks, 480th Fighter Squadron detachment commander also told the magazine, "We’re executing 24/7 CAPs with all the NATO partners across the entire eastern front. It gives a chance for us to show that we are integrated completely with our NATO partners, and that includes in tight formations".