Spanish DAT “Paznic” leads NATO Flexible Deterrence Option exercise in Romania

As part of the Spanish Air and Space Force deployment leading NATO’s Enhanced Air Policing (eAP-72) mission in Romania, the Tactical Air Detachment (DAT) “Paznic” and allied air forces led a Flexible Deterrence Option training exercise in Romanian airspace. The Spanish DAT “Paznic”, which took the lead in the activity, operates from “Mihail Kogălniceanu” Air Base to help safeguard Alliance airspace on NATO’s eastern flank.

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Flexible Deterrence Option exercise in Romanian airspace

The Flexible Deterrence Option exercise held in Romania brought together combat and support assets from the host nation, Greece, Türkiye, Spain and the United States, operating from several bases. The training event also involved air-to-air refuelling aircraft and an airborne early warning and control aircraft (AWACS). This Allied NATO air deployment confirmed the forces’ ability to disperse, manoeuvre rapidly and respond while practising a range of tactics, fire coordination and the protection of critical assets.

The combined Flexible Deterrence Option activities are intended to improve interoperability, ensure cohesion between forces and strengthen the multidomain integration of Allied capabilities. The training exercise was conducted in line with the principles of Agile Combat Employment (ACE), a NATO operating framework “[…] designed to increase the survivability of deployed assets, while generating air combat power from both local bases and dispersed locations”.

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Spanish DAT “Paznic” leads the Allied air mission

As a key operational milestone of the exercise, a Spanish pilot from DAT “Paznic” commanded the planning and tactical air deployment for a mission involving 15 Allied aircraft. The air mission was carried out in cooperation and coordination with the Combined Air Operations Centre Torrejón (CAOC-TJ), based in Madrid, Spain. Allied air force integration was likewise coordinated with Joint Terminal Attack Controller teams supporting Close Air Support, alongside surface-based air defence systems.

Deployment of Spanish capabilities in NATO operations in Romania

At the beginning of August, DAT “Paznic” took command of NATO’s Enhanced Air Policing (eAP-72) mission in Romania. For a four-month period, it will operate from “Mihail Kogălniceanu” Air Base to ensure the protection of Allied airspace on the eastern flank. During its deployment, the “Paznic” air contingent will be responsible for Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) duties and will also conduct training exercises with Allied forces. In the most recent events, the Spanish air detachment’s F-18M Hornet fighter-bombers recorded their first drone shoot-down in Romania after detecting an unmanned aerial vehicle entering Romanian airspace.