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Romania
2002 |
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14-10-2002 Otopeni |
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Monday
morning we presented ourselves at the gate of Otopeni. The military side of
Bucharest Int. airport. First we resaved a briefing on the airbase, the units and the
mission. Much, as we will find out on the other air bases, it was dedicated to the
joining of NATO. Partnership for Peace and Partnership Goals take up important
places in the briefings.
After
the briefing we are allowed onto the platforms and hangars. Most of the aircraft
could be photographed. Even though it is continuing to rain a lot of
pictures where taken.
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The first Romanian aviation transport unit was created in 1920
as a department within the Ministry of Communication. Otopeni
airport was constructed around 50 years ago and in 1949 the 49th
Transport Division was created. By 1971 the 50th
Transport Fleet was also formed, with the 99th
Transport Group set up with An-24, An-26, An-30 and IAR-316,
Mi-8 helicopters in 1988.
As part of the 1995 restructuring of the Air Force, the 90th
Transport Base was formed and in 1996 "Comandor Aviator Gheorghe
Banciulescu" was added to its title. Moving towards NATO
interoperability two Lockheed C-130B Hercules were delivered in
October 1996, two more were added in the following year. |
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Partnership for Peace, NATO and the future
In 1994 the Romanian Air Force was the first
East European former WarPac country to sign the Partnership for
Peace treaty expressing the country's anxiety to cooperate with
and learn from other countries with the eventual goal to join
NATO in a later stadium. To achieve all this it started
participating in many exercises and sending aircraft abroad to
participate in many airshows with great enthusiasm Long before
joining NATO and even without being certain that it would be
able to, it started to convert one of its core units, Grupul 86
at Borcea, into a NATO compatible unit by making improvements to
the base's infrastructure, allowing a part of its pilots to fly
a fair amount of training hours and work according to NATO
procedures.
Among other types Romanian MiG-21 Lancers started participating
in PfP exercises in 1998 in exercise 'Cooperative Change' at
Sliac (Slovakia). More Lancers attended 'Cooperative Key' in
Turkey in 1999 at St. Dizier (France) in 2002 and at Graf
Ignatievo (Bulgaria) in 2001. In 2000 the Romanian Air Force was
the host country for 'Cooperative Key' when this exercise was
organised at Mihail Kogalniceanu. |
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Otopeni 14/10/02
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An24RT
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1801
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1802
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1911
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1912
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5022
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5024
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An26
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206
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207
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307
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606
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706
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707
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710
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801
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808
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809
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810
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An30
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1103
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1104
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C130B
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5930
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6166
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Mi8
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8
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720
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723
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728
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729
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732
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Mi17
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102
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103
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Iar330
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3
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40
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48(c/n65)
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55
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74
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96
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100
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106
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108(c/n1439)
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Iar316
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33
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57
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99
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125
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SA365N
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202(c/n6143)
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203(c/n6144)
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204(c/n6145)
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Lynx
AH7
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ZD277
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| We would like to thank the following persons for their help in arranging the visit; the Public relation office of
Romanian Air Force and the staff at Otopeni who escorted us during the
visit. |
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