Learning the Way of the Viper

Six F-16s from Aviano AB, Italy, arrived in Romania for a two-week air-to-air and air-to-ground interoperability exercise with Romanian air force Mig-21s last week. “This exercise has been planned for over a year now,” said Lt. Col. Christopher Austin, 510th Fighter Squadron commander, in an April 11 release. “We’re here to conduct range operations and joint exercise sorties with our NATO partners to enhance interoperability.” Since Romania agreed to purchase a dozen F-16s from Portugal last year, the exercise is an opportunity for Romanian airmen to take notes on their future mission, according to the release. More than 450 US and Romanian airmen are taking part in Exercise Dacian Viper at Campia Turzii AB, Romania, April 10-17, according to a Romanian news agency report.