Gen. Tom Hobbins, head of US Air Forces in Europe, traveled to Mihail Kogalniceanu AB, Romania, Oct. 19-20 to visit with Romania military officials in anticipation of the new joint task force headquarters to be based at Mihail. Plans call for 100 US Air Force and US Army members. USAFE aircrews will use the facility to conduct aerial tactical training with their Romanian counterparts. During his visit, Hobbins commended the Romanian military, saying: “Romania has provided security in the Balkans, in Iraq, and Afghanistan. We have a good relationship working and training together.”
The Air Force has embraced new technical approaches like open mission systems and rapid software updates for cutting-edge aircraft like the B-21 and Collaborative Combat Aircraft. Increasingly, though, the service is also working to apply these to its older, “legacy” aircraft, officials said this week.