President Iohannis: Romanian Air Force, modern and important component of the Army.
The Romanian Air Force is a modern and important component of the Romanian Army, as a means of responding to military security challenges in the Black Sea region and on the entire Eastern Flank, and the actions carried out by military pilots, together with the other military personnel, contribute significantly to strengthening our country's profile at regional and Euro-Atlantic level, President Klaus Iohannis said on Thursday in his message on the occasion of Romanian Aviation and Air Force Day, told Agerpres.
"Every year, on 20 July, we celebrate the Romanian Aviation and Air Force Day, together with St. Elijah's Day, their spiritual patron. Today we pay tribute to all those who have served or are serving the Air Force with professionalism and devotion, at home and abroad, as well as the civil transport, utility and sport aviation in Romania," the president said.
At the same time, the president mentioned that this day commemorates the "brave pioneers of Romanian aviation" and the aircrew and auxiliary personnel who made "the supreme sacrifice on the battlefield, in theatres of operations where Romania was present, as well as in missions and exercises carried out on the national territory".
"The Romanian Air Force is a modern and important component of the Romanian Army, capable of performing the full range of missions, from defending national and allied airspace to supporting public authorities in emergency situations. The current, particularly difficult security context, generated by the war unleashed by the Russian Federation against Ukraine, has highlighted, once again, the importance of the Romanian Air Force as a means of responding to military security challenges in the Black Sea region and on the entire Eastern Flank," Klaus Iohannis pointed out.
He underlined that "the timely actions carried out by the military pilots, together with the military personnel of the other categories of forces and structures of the Romanian Army, contribute significantly to strengthening our country's profile at regional and Euro-Atlantic level, giving consistency to the national efforts to increase allied security in the region".
According to the head of state, the Romanian Air Force is in the process of modernisation, as part of the strengthening of Romania's defence posture, in line with the allied decisions made at the last NATO Summits.
"The allocation, starting this year, of 2.5 percent of GDP for Defence will allow the carrying out of major endowment projects of the Air Force and significantly improve the conditions for the execution of combat missions, such as the replacement of F-16 aircraft, which are making the transition to F-35 platforms," the president added.
Klaus Iohannis noted that a regional training hub dedicated to F-16 aircraft is to be set up in Romania, which will position our country as a regional leader in this field, "thus contributing to increasing cohesion, demonstrating unity and strengthening the Euro-Atlantic deterrence and defence posture".
"Dear fighter pilots and members of the Air Force, you celebrate today, with pride, your belonging to the great family of the Romanian Aviation and Air Force. The commitment and professionalism with which you dedicate yourselves to all your missions contribute to the prestige of our country at regional and allied level. I encourage you to continue with the same abnegation, spirit of sacrifice and devotion and I wish you good health and success. Many Happy Returns to the Romanian Aviation and the Romanian Air Force," President Klaus Iohannis added.
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