AUGUST 27, 2025 – U.S. special operations forces collaborated with Romanian allies during a bilateral exercise to boost NATO readiness in Europe through aerial drills at Boboc Air Base, Romania, July 11-25.
Romanian special operations forces, along with the 53rd Commando Battalion and the U.S. Air Force’s 352nd Special Operations Wing at Royal Air Force Mildenhall, U.K., worked to enhance joint operational capabilities through free-fall jumps, low-level flying, infiltration and exfiltration drills, and the establishment of ground refueling points.
“We’re working with their ground forces, rotary forces and fixed-wing forces,” said the mission commander for the 352nd SOW. “The big goal in this instance is helping the Romanians improve [air capabilities] and interoperability.”
Over the course of two weeks, the allied nations executed joint airdrops and infiltration scenarios across multiple landscapes. Over 500 Romanian jumpers conducted free-fall operations, supported by U.S. MC-130J Commando II and Romanian C-27J Spartan aircraft. Concurrently, the Air Force’s 100th Air Refueling Wing established and operated ground refueling points in support of Romanian IAR-330 Puma helicopters.
A combined team of 10 Romanian and 15 U.S. aircrews demonstrated formation flying, low-level approaches, and short-field landing drills during day and nighttime operations, sharpening their ability to operate side by side in complex environments.
“As we look at what [U.S. Special Operations Command Europe], NATO and our allies are doing, I think we’re learning it’s good to have friends in a lot of places,” the mission commander said.
Exercises like this continue to strengthen joint capabilities through unity, readiness and trust, enabling allies to respond quickly and effectively in times of crisis.
“We’ve been training, we’ve standardized our tactics. It makes it easier if a conflict ever comes up,” he said. “It makes us more effective, because then you have the might of multiple countries going at one enemy or one problem set.”
U.S. Special Operations Command Europe