{"id":18986,"date":"2018-08-27T00:15:04","date_gmt":"2018-08-27T00:15:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2018\/08\/27\/in-its-bid-to-counter-russia-us-air-force-to-spend-40m-on-romanian-air-base\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T21:47:45","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T21:47:45","slug":"in-its-bid-to-counter-russia-us-air-force-to-spend-40m-on-romanian-air-base","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/air\/2018\/08\/27\/in-its-bid-to-counter-russia-us-air-force-to-spend-40m-on-romanian-air-base\/","title":{"rendered":"In its bid to counter Russia, US Air Force to spend $40M on Romanian air base"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/atype-video-jwplayer>
The U.S. Air Force is executing military-related construction projects across Europe as part of the European Deterrence Initiative.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n

CAMPIA TURZII, Romania \u2014 The U.S. Air Force has plans in motion to spend almost $40 million on new construction and base improvements at Romania\u2019s 71st Air Base in Campia Turzii to make it more hospitable for visiting U.S. combat squadrons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The service will be able to launch a greater number of jets, repair more of them poor weather conditions, and have the ability to safely store additional fuel and weapons as a result of the improvements \u2014 all things that are critical as the U.S. and Romanian air forces train together on base, but even more important in a potential future war where the U.S. Air Force deploys<\/a> to Romania to launch sorties and help protect one of its NATO allies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In short, it amounts to improved readiness, said Gen. Tod Wolters, commander of U.S. Air Forces Europe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe want to make sure that our soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines are in a position to where they can be quicker and faster and sharper and stronger than their predecessors,\u201d he told Defense News in a July interview<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\t