The closing ceremony of the Enhanced Air Police mission of the Royal Canadian Air Force detachment took place on Friday at the Mihail Kogalniceanu military base, the mission under NATO command to be taken over, in December, by the Italian Airlines, according to Agerpres.

The Ministry of National Defense (MApN) informed, through a press release, that the Secretary of State for Defense Policy, Planning and International Relations, Simona Cojocaru, participated on November 25, together with the Canadian Ambassador to Romania, Annick Goulet, Lieutenant General Eric Kenny, head of the Royal Canadian Air Force, and Lieutenant-General Viorel Pana, head of the Romanian Air Force, at the closing ceremony of the eAP (enhanced Air Policing) mission of the Royal Canadian Air Force detachment.

„I express my gratitude to the troops of the Royal Canadian Air Force for their dedication and professionalism. They have made a substantial contribution to the protection of NATO airspace in the Black Sea region, a region of strategic importance, marked by serious security challenges,” the secretary of state said in his message.

According to the MApN press release, the Romanian official emphasized the fact that the partnership between Romania and Canada is strong and continuously evolving. At the end of the sixth rotation at Mihail Kogalniceanu of the Royal Canadian Air Force (2017-2022), it can be stated that the level of cooperation in the political-military field is a solid one with multiple perspectives for development.

The Canadian detachment, made up of 180 military personnel (pilots and technical personnel) and six CF-18 Hornet aircraft, performed Enhanced Air Policing missions under NATO command for four months, together with Romanian Air Force airmen, who operated with F-16 Fighting Falcon and MiG-21 LanceR aircraft. In December, the mission will be taken over by the Italian Air Force, which is being deployed in our country.

Agerpres