{"id":35725,"date":"2018-10-03T19:55:15","date_gmt":"2018-10-03T19:55:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/10\/03\/dogfights-and-draculas-castle-us-air-force-tightens-its-bonds-with-romania-over-summer-deployment\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T22:30:44","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T22:30:44","slug":"dogfights-and-draculas-castle-us-air-force-tightens-its-bonds-with-romania-over-summer-deployment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/news\/your-air-force\/2018\/10\/03\/dogfights-and-draculas-castle-us-air-force-tightens-its-bonds-with-romania-over-summer-deployment\/","title":{"rendered":"Dogfights and Dracula\u2019s castle: US Air Force tightens bond with Romania over summer deployment"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

CAMPIA TURZII, Romania, and WASHINGTON \u2014 U.S. F-15 Eagles, Greek F-16s and Bulgarian MiG-29s are engaged in a mission in Bulgarian airspace<\/a>. Stormy weather has hit, which means communication over the radio is difficult, but meeting that day\u2019s objective seems especially hard, with basically no guidance from one of the point players tapped to lead the mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Luckily, the planning done before takeoff was enough to steer all parties to successfully execute the mission. But afterward it comes to light that the leader\u2019s radio had broken during flight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNone of us knew that because his radio failed and he couldn\u2019t tell us,\u201d said Lt. Col. Jay \u201cFat\u201d Talbert, an F-15 pilot who participated in the exercise. \u201cBut his wingman could have told us, and then, for example, I could have stepped in and took over the leadership role of the mission.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The types of learning experiences provided by exercises like July\u2019s Thracian Star are par for the course for U.S. Air Force pilots temporarily deployed to eastern Europe as part of the military\u2019s efforts to deter Russian aggression<\/a> and tighten bonds with allies<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a real air-to-air confrontation, a communication breakdown \u2014 whether due to a failed radio or a strong accent \u2014 could mean the difference between life and death. That\u2019s why the Air Force is spending $126.5 million in fiscal 2019 to \u201cretain combat air forces\u201d in Europe, using mechanisms like periodic air-policing deployments or \u201ctheater security packages\u201d aimed at increasing international training opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Talbert is part of the 131st Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, a theater security package that deployed to Romania\u2019s Campia Turzii in June<\/a> and returned stateside on Sept. 28. The squadron is made up of about 300 airmen from the 104th Fighter Wing at Barnes Air National Guard Base in Massachusetts, including 18 pilots and 12 F-15C\/Ds, chosen for training with partners like Romania, the United Kingdom and Bulgaria.<\/p>\n\n\n\t