NATO Builds Largest Europe Base Near Black Sea
Source: Newsweek
Published Mar 18, 2024 at 6:34 AM EDT | Updated Mar 18, 2024 at 8:05 AM EDT
Romania has now begun construction of what will eventually be the NATO alliance's largest European military base, as the transatlantic bloc seeks to bolster its capabilities in the Black Sea region with an eye on Russian activity there.
The $2.7 billion project will expand the Romanian Air Force 57th Air Base Mihail Kogălniceanu, which is located close to the Black Sea port city of Constanța. The new facility will have a perimeter of almost 20 miles, cover around 11 square miles, and will be home to some 10,000 NATO personnel and their families.
Romania has long been a key hub for NATO operations in the Black Sea region. Thousands of U.S. troops have cycled through the country on training and security missions since the beginning of Russia's full-scale war on Ukraine. American combat and surveillance aircraft regularly operate from there as part of NATO's policing operations.
Euronews reported this weekend that work on the base's basic infrastructuresuch as access roads and the power gridhas begun. Eventually, several new runways are expected to be built to support the operation of various types of military aircraft.
Read more: https://www.newsweek.com/nato-builds-largest-europe-base-black-sea-romania-1880210
IronLionZion
(45,450 posts)dude has encouraged NATO to expand and improve operating capabilities.
TomSlick
(11,098 posts)pecosbob
(7,541 posts)But then Ukraine hasn't needed much help dealing with the Russian Navy to date.
pfitz59
(10,381 posts)Landed on a very rough concrete runway.
MarineCombatEngineer
(12,391 posts)Instead of halting NATO expansion, as Putin's reason for illegally invading Ukraine, he's actually caused the expansion of NATO with the 2 new members, Finland and Sweden, who have very capable militaries.
Good job there Putin.
FakeNoose
(32,641 posts)... somewhere close to Finland and Sweden.