News articles

RAF personnel join Romanian National Independence Day Parade in Constanta

RAF Personnel salutes with Romanian allies.
Warrant Officer Trevor Shippey led 140 Expeditionary Air Wing personnel attending the Parade.

Royal Air Force personnel serving in Romania have taken part in the Romanian National Independence Day parade and celebrations in Constanta Romania.  

Constanta is the port city on the Black Sea coast, near Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base, where the RAF are currently conducting NATO Air operations, including enhanced Air Policing.  Warrant Officer Trevor Shippey led the RAF personnel attending the parade from 140 Expeditionary Air Wing.

Romanian Personnel during parade, with Flag Colour.
Personnel from the Romanian Navy, Army and Air Force.

The RAF and other NATO service personnel serving in the region joined personnel from the Romanian Navy, Army and Air Force at the House of Culture Park in Constanta.  The majority of the Romanian Air Force contingent also came from Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base, where the RAF’s 140 Expeditionary Air Wing is currently based.

Band perform during parade.

The event started with a static parade, followed by an Orthodox Christian ceremony and finally wreath laying by military personnel before senior local dignitaries and Armed Forces Officers gave speeches during which they thanked the personnel present and recognised the sacrifices made by the Romanian Armed Forces to protect their freedom.

Ceremony before parade.

The event concluded with a short march past through the streets of Constanta during which NATO representatives stood alongside their Romanian counterparts to salute the parading troops.

Romanian personnel salute at ceremony.