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US Blackhawks and Apaches train with Russian attack helicopters nearby

MIHAIL KOGALNICEANU AIR BASE, Romania — As Russian attack helicopters hovered menacingly near NATO’s eastern border in late spring, it became clearer to the American pilots at the Romanian base known as “MK” why they were stationed at this far-flung location on the Black Sea.

The Russian troop buildup in Crimea and on the eastern border of Ukraine in late March reached 100,000 troops. Tanks, rocket systems, fighter jets, and attack helicopters were also positioned. Vladimir Putin’s first test of President Joe Biden led to a phone call promise of withdrawal, followed by a summit in Geneva last week that included compliments of the American leader from the former KGB officer.

However, Russian attack helicopters remain, as do most of the troops. But America’s Blackhawks, Chinooks, and Apaches were already preparing to exercise nearby.

In May, American helicopter pilots conducted joint exercises with Romanian Puma pilots, quickly moving 300 ground troops from the Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base, where several hundred American troops are stationed, to a nearby training area.

“We're no longer isolated nation-states or countries,” U.S. Army Capt. Erin Caverly, 27, told the Washington Examiner while standing in front of one of the Blackhawk helicopters she flies. “We're here to build that kind of ability to work with all our NATO allies.”

Romania, a former communist dictatorship and Warsaw Pact country, became a democracy in 1991 and joined NATO in 2004.

The Annapolis native played a key planning role in the complex operation to integrate 10 Romanian Pumas, eight American Blackhawks, and three Chinooks for the combined air assault exercise.

U.S. Army Capt. Erin Caverly, 27, of Annapolis, poses in front of one of the Blackhawk helicopters she flies while on a nine-month rotation in Romania. Photo by Abraham Mahshie/Washington Examiner

“We are here as part of the European Deterrence Initiative,” Lt. Col. Brad Gates, commander of the Army’s 3-1 Assault Helicopter Battalion, said.

The American program known as EDI has beefed up the military infrastructure of NATO members in Eastern Europe to the tune of $20 billion since 2014. That’s when Russia invaded Crimea and redrew European borders for the first time in a half-century.

Putin’s aggression in the region is seen as an ever-present threat by NATO partners on the eastern flank.

“It doesn't necessarily change the course of what we do,” Gates said of the exercises. “What we need to do is focus on improving our own readiness and improving our ability to have interoperability with our host and partner nations.”

Putin’s actions do change the course for NATO allies in the region, an official said.

Both Bulgaria and Romania spend 3% of their GDP on defense, with Romania posting the region’s only AEGIS Ashore missile-defense system and buying a range of American military hardware, such as Patriot missile batteries.

Romanian Defense Minister Nicolae Ciuca told the Washington Examiner that an additional $135 million is dedicated to military infrastructure investments at the MK base and premier training facilities meant in part to attract more American presence. MK has already played a vital role in assisting U.S. deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan.

“We are supporting very much the rotational presence of the U.S. troops in our country,” Ciuca said at a meeting in Bucharest. “We also have a program to develop the MK air base. So, that's a very, very ambitious commitment of our country to develop the infrastructure within the base.”

Training 'harder, better, and more safely'

American soldiers serving on a nine-month rotation on the base told the Washington Examiner the Romanians are flexible and eager to learn, and the base and nearby training facilities offer opportunities not found at some American installations.

“Our ability to have an aviation task force that is able to operate out of here safely is pretty critical,” said Gates. “From an infrastructure standpoint, from a space available to the aircraft standpoint, it's certainly helpful to be able to train harder, better, and more safely.”

Army Lt. Col. Brad Gates, commander of the 3-1 Assault Helicopter Brigade, describes the joint air assault exercise Swift Response 21 in May with Romanian helicopter pilots at the "MK" Air Base in Romania.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/us-blackhawks-apaches-train-russian-160000118.html