The U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa led a Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2) exercise, designed to train U.S. and ally forces to integrate, operate and communicate while executing all-domain targeting operations, over the Black Sea on January 14, 2020. The exercise, dubbed “Prime Accord”, saw the participation also of the U.S. Special Operations Command Europe, U.S Naval Forces Europe/U.S. 6th Fleet, U.S. Army Europe and Africa, U.S. Strategic Command and the Romanian Air Force. The mission in Eastern Europe, with Russia watching, “was designed to train U.S. forces to integrate, operate, and communicate while executing all-domain operations.”
For the exercise, the F-16 Fighting Falcons of the 31st Fighter Wing trained with the F-16s of the Romanian Air Force. The U.S. F-16s took off from Aviano Air Base, Italy, and, supported by the two KC-135 tankers, flew to the Black Sea, while the RoAF F-16s provided fighter escort. The drill took place in front of Romania’s and Bulgaria’s coasts, where the aircraft were tracked circling, possibly while performing Air-to-Air Refueling (AAR). The exercise was coordinated by a joint team at the Romanian Control and Reporting Center, where the 606th Air Control Squadron from the 31st FW and the 1st Combat Communications Squadron from the 435th Air Ground Operations Wing at Ramstein Air Base, Germany
The U.S. Air Force, military operations in the Black Sea enhance regional stability, combined readiness and capability with NATO allies and partners. The United States are increasing their military presence in Romania, not only with joint exercises, but also with deployed forces. This month the U.S. Air Force announced that an unspecified number of MQ-9 Reaper drones, accompanied by approximately 90 Airmen, are now at the 71st Air Base in Campia Turzii Air Base, from where they will conduct intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions in support of NATO operations in the region.
