site.btaFour US Air Force F-15s Redeployed to Graf Ignatievo Air Base for Air Policing Mission

Four US Air Force F-15s Redeployed to Graf Ignatievo  Air Base for Air Policing Mission

Sofia, September 1 (BTA) - Four F-15 Eagles of the 194th US Air Force Fighter Squadron were redeployed Thursday to Graf Ignatievo Air Base (Southern Bulgaria) to perform air policing tasks in Bulgaria jointly with Bulgaria's MiG-29 fighters, the Defence Ministry said. The joint air policing will be on in the period between September 9 and 16.

The government adopted a decision to enhance the defence of Bulgaria's air space by the air forces of Bulgaria and the United States on August 24.

The Bulgarian aircraft will be used with a priority. The participation of the Bulgarian Air Force shows its capacity to act in air policing operations jointly with the allied countries to guarantee the air security of the countries from NATO's eastern flank, the Defence Ministry said.

The joint missions swill take place within the framework of NATO's Integrated Air Defence System.

The decisions to guarantee the security of allies in Eastern Europe were take at the NATO Summit in Wales in 2014 and in Warsaw in 2016.