Castle Forge Phase One Complete: Strike Eagles Soar Alongside NATO Allies
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U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Ai
U.S. Airmen from the 336th Fighter Squadron, 4th Fighter Wing, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina, prepare their F-15E Strike Eagles for a series of integrated training sorties during operation Castle Forge alongside F-16 aircraft from the Romanian Air Force’s 53rd Fighter Squadron, Borcea 86th Air Base, Romania, Oct. 21, 2021.
Castle Forge is a U.S. Air Forces Europe-Air Forces Africa-led, joint, multi-national operation. It provides a dynamic, partnership-focused training environment that raises the U.S. commitment to collective defense in the Black Sea region while enhancing interoperability alongside NATO allies (U.S. Air Force photo by Capt. Andrew Layton).
Photo by: Capt. Andrew Layton
Photo 2 of 4
U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Ai
U.S. Airmen from the 336th Fighter Squadron, 4th Fighter Wing, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina, prepare their F-15E Strike Eagles for a series of integrated training sorties during operation Castle Forge alongside F-16 aircraft from the Romanian Air Force’s 53rd Fighter Squadron, Borcea 86th Air Base, Romania, Oct. 22, 2021.
Castle Forge is a U.S. Air Forces Europe-Air Forces Africa-led, joint, multi-national operation. It provides a dynamic, partnership-focused training environment that raises the U.S. commitment to collective defense in the Black Sea region while enhancing interoperability alongside NATO allies (U.S. Air Force photo by Capt. Andrew Layton).
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U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Ai
Maintenance personnel from the Romanian Air Force's 53rd Fighter Squadron bid farewell to F-15E Strike Eagle aircrews from the 336th Fighter Squadron, 4th Fighter Wing, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina at the conclusion of Castle Forge's first forward deployment phase to exercise and demonstrate Agile Combat Employment capabilities at Borcea 86th Air Base, Romania, Oct. 22, 2021.
Castle Forge is a U.S. Air Forces Europe-Air Forces Africa-led, joint, multi-national operation. It provides a dynamic, partnership-focused training environment that raises the U.S. commitment to collective defense in the Black Sea region while enhancing interoperability alongside NATO allies (U.S. Air Force photo by Capt. Andrew Layton).
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U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Ai
U.S. Airmen coordinate with a Romanian counterpart during operation Castle Forge at Borcea 86th Air Base, Romania, Oct. 21, 2021.
Castle Forge is a U.S. Air Forces Europe-Air Forces Africa-led, joint, multi-national operation. It provides a dynamic, partnership-focused training environment that raises the U.S. commitment to collective defense in the Black Sea region while enhancing interoperability alongside NATO allies (U.S. Air Force photo by Capt. Andrew Layton).
U.S. F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft from the 336th Fighter Squadron, 4th Fighter Wing, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina, have completed the first forward dispersal of operation Castle Forge.
During phase one, the Strike Eagles conducted local training alongside the Hellenic Air Force at Larissa Air Base, Greece, from Oct. 11-17. Then, subsets of the unit forward deployed to Graf Ignatievo AB, Bulgaria, and Borcea AB, Romania, to exercise Agile Combat Employment and conduct vital training alongside the Bulgarian and Romanian air forces. The F-15Es returned to Larissa AB, Greece, following the training.
“Castle Forge is about testing and proving critical concepts for our teams and their readiness,” said Gen. Jeff Harrigian, NATO Allied Air Command and U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa commander. “By leveraging the flexibility of our forces and the rapid integration of allied assets, we all achieve a competitive edge in the Black Sea region.”
Castle Forge will continue for the next several weeks, providing a dynamic, partnership-focused environment that raises U.S. commitment to collective defense and interoperability among NATO allies in the Black Sea region.
For more information, contact U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa Public Affairs at +49 06371-47-6558 or usafepa.pastaffdutyofficer@us.af.mil.
Castle Forge is a U.S. Air Forces Europe-Air Forces Africa-led joint, multinational training event taking place this fall in three phases that involve forward deployments to other bases operated by NATO allies in the Black Sea region.”
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