RoAF 71st Air Base

The Romanian Air Force 71st Air Base (Romanian: Baza 71 Aeriană "General Emanoil Ionescu") is located near the city of Câmpia Turzii, in Cluj County. The 71st Airbase was founded on 1 June 2002, according to the Romanian Armed Forces reorganization program. It is named after Emanoil Ionescu, a general who commanded the Royal Romanian Air Force during World War II.

71st Air Base
Baza 71 Aeriană "General Emanoil Ionescu"
Câmpia Turzii, Cluj County, Romania
The Control Tower building at the 71st Air Base
Coat of arms of the 71st Air Base
Site information
Controlled by Romanian Air Force
Site history
Built1952
In use1953-Present
Garrison information
Current
commander		Comandor Cosmin Cosma[1]
Occupants711th Fighter Squadron
713th Helicopter Squadron
 United States Air Force:
731st Expeditionary Attack Squadron
Airfield information
Summary
Airport typeMilitary
LocationCâmpia Turzii
OpenedJune 1, 2002 (2002-06-01)
Elevation AMSL1,065 ft / 324 m
Coordinates46°30′12″N 023°53′07″E
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
15/33 8,202 2,500 Asphalt

Since its foundation, the unit has become one of the best units of the Air Force thanks to the pilots' proficiency in carrying out flight missions, day and night and all-weather, and to the responsibility of the logistic support personnel.

In January 2001, the unit received the first MIG-21 LanceR fighter planes, and the pilots started the transition to the new model.

The base is home to the 711th Fighter Squadron, operating MiG-21 LanceR, the 713th Helicopter Squadron, operating IAR-330. The 712th Helicopter Squadron is located at the Giarmata Airport. The base also hosts MQ-9 Reaper drones of the 31st Expeditionary Operations Group, Detachment 1, maintained by the 731st Expeditionary Attack Squadron and operated remotely by the 25th Attack Group.

History

The Câmpia Turzii military airfield was built between 1952 and 1953, and was home of the Soviet-made Ilyushin Il-10 attack aircraft. In 1969, an air defence unit was created on the airfield in order to provide protection against air attacks. In 1980 a paratrooper regiment was founded and assigned to the Campia Turzii. On 30 June 1982 the first fighter squadron was assigned at the air base, which in 1986 became the 71st Fighter Regiment. In 1987, when the air base finally became fully operational and operated MiG-21 fighters.[2]

On 24 January 2001 the unit was the first one to receive the modernized MiG-21 LanceR fighters, which carry the Matra Magic 2 missile. On 1 July 2002, according to a Romanian Armed Forces reorganization and modernization program, the 71st Air Base was officially founded. During late 2004, the RoAF 93rd Air Base was disbanded and its helicopter units were relocated at the 71st base. Since then, the 71st Air Base participated in a large number of national/multinational military exercises and training missions. Also, it often participated in various humanitarian missions, in cooperation with other Romanian Government institutions.[2]

The William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 includes $130.5 million to renovate Câmpia Turzii Air Base, in order to enhance the United States' ability to use it to for operations in the Black Sea region.[3][4]

2007 Baltic Air Policing
Main article: Baltic Air Policing
Front view of the Control Tower.
MiG-21 LanceR-C of the 712th Fighter Squadron taking off from the base.

Four MiG-21 LanceR Cs belonging to 71st Air Base were deployed from August 2007 to November 2007 at Šiauliai, in Lithuania for Baltic Air Policing. The Romanian detachment succeeds the French Air Force Mirage 2000Cs of Escadron de Chasse 01.012 from Cambrai, which fulfilled the Baltic Air Policing since May 2007. Once the RoAF finish its three-month stint, a Portuguese Air Force detachment will take over the mission.[5]

The four aircraft and a total of 67 personnel, among them nine pilots, are part of the detachment: 63 serve at Šiauliai, while other four serve at the air traffic control centre in Kaunas, to ensure smooth cooperation with local authorities. The Romanian detachment has attracted huge attention from the local media, not least from the fact that it is only the second time a fighter from the Soviet era has deployed to Šiauliai; Polish Air Force MiG-29s have also been deployed there in 2006. The RoAF will most probably perform again Baltic Air Policing in future.[6]

2008 Bucharest summit

Six United States Air Force McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle fighters were deployed from 27 March to 6 April 2008, in order to provide air policing together with the Romanian Air Force fighters during the NATO 2008 Bucharest Summit, the 20th, held at Bucharest. These fighters were assisted by Boeing KC-135 Stratotankers located at the Budapest Airport in Hungary.[7] The 323d Air Expeditionary Wing directed the USAF deployment.[8]

International Deployments

A Royal Canadian Air Force detachment of 4 x McDonnell Douglas CF-18 Hornets was based here between unknown and 26 August 2014, when the detachment was moved to Šiauliai Air Base for Baltic Air Policing duties.[9]

In March 2015, an advance group of four A-10s of the U.S. Air Force arrived to take part in an exercise. The “Dacian Thunder 2015” operation, held between 27 March and 7 July 2015, involved 350 soldiers and 12 A-10s.[10]

In 2019, the first MQ-9 Reapers of the US Air Force were deployed at the base. These drones were operated by the 52nd Expeditionary Operations Group, Detachment 2 based at Mirosławiec in Poland.[11] In 2020, they participated in the "Dacian Reaper-20" exercise.[12]

In February 2021, the US Air Force deployed approximately 90 airmen and several MQ-9 drones of the 31st Expeditionary Operations Group, Detachment 1 at the base. The Reapers started flying remote-split operations on 1 February. The drones are managed by the newly activated 731st Expeditionary Attack Squadron while air operations are handled by the 25th Attack Group, located at the Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. The group is subordinated to the 432nd Air Expeditionary Wing.[13][14]

On 14 July 2022, one of the drones crashed in a cornfield south of the base, while conducting a training mission.[15]

  • Two IAR 330 Pumas of the 713th Helicopter Squadron taking off.
    Two IAR 330 Pumas of the 713th Helicopter Squadron taking off.
  • Pair of two MiG-21 LanceR 'C' aircraft of the 711th squadron.
    Pair of two MiG-21 LanceR 'C' aircraft of the 711th squadron.
  • Pair of two MiG-21 LanceR 'B' aircraft at the base.
    Pair of two MiG-21 LanceR 'B' aircraft at the base.
  • Two IAR-330s Puma SOCAT on ground.
    Two IAR-330s Puma SOCAT on ground.
  • Two transport and one MEDEVAC version of the IAR-330 Puma helicopter.
    Two transport and one MEDEVAC version of the IAR-330 Puma helicopter.
  • MQ-9 Reaper deployed at the base during the Romanian-American Dacian Reaper-20 exercise.
    MQ-9 Reaper deployed at the base during the Romanian-American Dacian Reaper-20 exercise.

References
  1. "Schimbări importante în Forțele Aeriene Române pe final de an 2021". Aviatia Magazin (in Romanian). 31 December 2021.
  2. History of the 71st Air Base Archived 2008-03-27 at the Wayback Machine, Romanian Air Force official site. Retrieved on March 27, 2008
  3. Vandiver, John (July 9, 2020). "Air Force wants to turn Soviet-era base in Romania into NATO Black Sea hub". Stars and Stripes.
  4. "Baza Aeriană de la Câmpia Turzii va fi modernizată de SUA. Americanii vor rotații ale aeronavelor de luptă pentru descurajarea Rusiei". defenseromania.ro (in Romanian). July 9, 2020. Retrieved October 22, 2020.
  5. LanceRs on Alert over Baltics, Air Forces Monthly, November 2007 issue, p. 36.
  6. LanceRs on Alert over Baltics, AirForces Monthly, November 2007 issue, p. 37.
  7. Şase avioane F15 şi sute de militari americani, la Baza de la Câmpia Turzii (Six F-15 fighters and hundreds of US military personnel deployed at Câmpia Turzii base), Mediafax, March 27, 2008
  8. Petosky, Eric (26 March 2008). "Airmen augment Romanian security for NATO summit". 323rd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
  9. AirForces Monthly. Stamford, Lincolnshire, England: Key Publishing Ltd. October 2013. p. 33.
  10. "U.S. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II jets have deployed to Romania". 30 March 2015.
  11. "USAF MQ-9A Reaper Activity in Romania". Amy's OSINT. 25 April 2021.
  12. "Exercițiul DACIAN REAPER-20". presamil.ro (in Romanian). 19 February 2020.
  13. Amelia Smith (14 July 2022). "MQ-9 Reaper Has Crashed in Romania". Overt Defense.
  14. Bethany Karlberg (16 February 2021). "MQ-9 begins flying missions from Romania". United States Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa.
  15. Clement Charpentreau (14 July 2022). "USAF MQ-9 Reaper drone crashes in Romania". AeroTime Hub.
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