The US Air Force is pouring $40 million into new construction at an air base in Romania in addition to prior infrastructure projects that may provide housing for combat drones, reports suggest.
On Monday, Defense News reported that USAF has set in motion plans to allocate millions of dollars toward new construction and existing base improvement projects in Campia Turzii, Romania.
While the US military does not maintain a permanent contingency at the base, according to Defense News, the base has provided accommodation to a variety of US personnel in recent years. Most recently, a squadron of F-15C/D Eagles and approximately 300 airmen arrived at the Romanian base this summer, the report noted. A-10 ground attack aircraft, F-16 fighter aircraft and accompanying crews have previously been stationed at the base as well.
On Tuesday, Defense News claimed to have learned that MQ-9 Reaper drones may in the future be kept inside a $950 million hangar facility that has already been constructed at Campia Turzii. Efforts to build the aircraft shelter commenced in May earlier this year. After an up close and personal viewing of the hangar, Defense News reported the facility “will be able to house medium-altitude, long-endurance drones.”
The MQ-9 Reaper fits that bill.
MQ-9 aircraft replaced the MQ-1 Predator drones in the US Air Force fleet in 2017 as part of a modernization initiative. Not all the MQ-9…
