| 71st Air Base | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Baza 71 Aeriană "General Emanoil Ionescu" | |||||||
| Luna NearCâmpia Turzii in Romania | |||||||
 The Control Tower building at the 71st Air Base | |||||||
 Coat of arms of the 71st Air Base | |||||||
| Site information | |||||||
| Controlled by |  Romanian Air Force | ||||||
| Location | |||||||
  71st Air Base  71st Air Base | |||||||
| Coordinates | 46°30′12″N023°53′07″E / 46.50333°N 23.88528°E /46.50333; 23.88528 | ||||||
| Site history | |||||||
| Built | 1952 | ||||||
| In use | 1953 – Present | ||||||
| Garrison information | |||||||
| Current commander | General de flotilă aeriană Cătălin "Miki" Micloș[1] | ||||||
| Occupants |
| ||||||
| Airfield information | |||||||
| Identifiers | ICAO: LRCT | ||||||
| Elevation | 324 metres (1,063 ft)AMSL | ||||||
| |||||||
TheRomanian Air Force71st Air Base "General Emanoil Ionescu" (Romanian:Baza 71 Aeriană "General Emanoil Ionescu"), also known asCâmpia Turzii Air Base, is located in thecommuneLuna near the city ofCâmpia Turzii, inCluj County.[2] The 71st Air Base was founded on 1 June 2002 from the previous 71st Fighter and Bombardment Base, according to theRomanian Armed Forces reorganization program. It is named afterEmanoil Ionescu, a general who commanded the1st Air Corps of theRoyal Romanian Air Force duringWorld War II.
The base is home to the48th Fighter Squadron, operatingF-16 Fighting Falcon fighters, and the 713th Helicopter Squadron, operatingIAR 330 helicopters, while also hosting the571st Fighter Squadron of the57th Air Base until its base upgrades are completed. The 712th Helicopter Squadron is located at theGiarmata Airport. The base also hosts MQ-9 Reaper drones of theUnited States Air Force31st Operations Group, maintained by the731st Expeditionary Attack Squadron and operated remotely by the25th Attack Group. Another two Reapers belonging to theRoyal Netherlands Air Force No. 306 Squadron are also deployed at the base.
The current base commander isGeneral de flotilă aeriană Cătălin "Miki" Micloș.[1]
The location of the base was used duringWorld War II for air operations in theAiud–Turda–Cluj area. In 1952, aconcrete runway began to be built with the aim of basingSoviet-madeIlyushin Il-10 attack aircraft there.[3] In the summer of the same year, the 167th Assault Aviation Regiment was deployed at the base, which offered afiring range.[4] Until 1958-1959, the base was mainly used as a reserve airfield for theMiG-15 fighters of theaviation unit fromCraiova.[1]
In 1969, anair defence unit was created on the airfield in order to provide protection against air attacks. Aparatrooper regiment was also founded and assigned to the Câmpia Turzii base in 1980.[5] In 1971, the 376th Airfield Command was formed with the task of maintaining the airfield and executing missions of particular importance. This Airfield Command became part of the48th Fighter Aviation Squadron from the 91st Fighter Aviation Regiment which was stationed at theDeveselu base.[1]
On 30 June 1982, the 48th Squadron became a standing military unit based inDeveselu until the capabilities of carrying out missions from the Câmpia Turzii base were achieved. In 1986, the 48th Fighter Aviation Squadron became the 71st Fighter Bombardment Regiment. In 1987, when the air base finally became fully operational, the 71st Regiment was moved to Câmpia Turzii and started operatingMiG-21 fighters. Between 1988 and 1990, the 71st Regiment was moved toTârgu Mureș while some infrastructure works were carried out at Câmpia Turzii. According to the restructuring plan of the Air Force, the 71st Fighter and Bombardment Base with the 71st Fighter Aviation Group were formed at the Câmpia Turzii in 1995. On 24 January 2001 the unit received the first modernizedMiG-21 LanceR fighters, which carriedMatraMagic 2 missiles.[1]
On 1 June 2002, according to aRomanian Armed Forces reorganization and modernization program, the 71st Fighter and Bombardment Base was merged with the 71st Fighter Aviation Group, the 401st Anti-AircraftDivizion, and theRadiolocation battalions and companies, to form the 71st Air Base. At the same time, the 58th Helicopter Group fromSibiu was transformed into a squadron and assigned to the 71st Air Base.[1] During late 2004, theRoAF 93rd Air Base was disbanded and its helicopter units were relocated at the 71st base. Since then, the 71st Air Base participated in a large number of national/multinational military exercises and training missions. Also, it often participated in various humanitarian missions, in cooperation with otherRomanian Government institutions.[5] Between 2010 and 2013, the 71st Air Base was organized as the 71st Air Flotilla.[1]
TheWilliam M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 included $130.5 million to renovate Câmpia Turzii Air Base, in order to enhance theUnited States' ability to use it to for operations in theBlack Sea region.[6][7] On 15 May 2023, the MiG-21s were retired. A retirement ceremony was held at the base, after which the aircraft were flown toBacău for storage.[8] On 19 September 2023, the construction of newparking aprons, a hangar, and the Squadron Operations Facility, worth $34 million were completed.[9]
With the purchase of F-16s from theRoyal Norwegian Air Force, a new squadron, the 48th Fighter Squadron (Escadrila 48 Vânătoare), was activated at the base. The first three F-16s arrived at the base on 19 April 2024, while another three F-16s previously arrived at the86th Air Base.[10]
On 1 October 2024, the decision was approved by theRomanian Parliament for the Romanian military to participate in theNATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine. As part of this decision, the 71st Air Base will host a logistic point, the Logistic Enabling Node - Romania, with up to 100 military personnel.[11]
In January 2025, it was announced that the first phase of the expansion and modernization works of the base was completed. The works are aimed at improving and expanding the infrastructure of the base and preparing for the reception of the first RomanianF-35 Lightnings around 2030.[12]
Starting in May 2025, the F-16 aircraft of the571st Fighter Squadron began arriving at the base. The squadron is to remain at Câmpia Turzii Air Base until the modernization works are completed atMihail Kogălniceanu.[13]
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Four MiG-21 LanceR Cs belonging to 71st Air Base were deployed from August 2007 to November 2007 atŠiauliai, inLithuania forBaltic Air Policing. The Romanian detachment succeeds theFrench Air ForceMirage 2000Cs ofEscadron de Chasse 01.012 fromCambrai, which fulfilled the Baltic Air Policing since May 2007. Once the RoAF finish its three-month stint, aPortuguese Air Force detachment will take over the mission.[14]
The four aircraft and a total of 67 personnel, among them nine pilots, are part of the detachment: 63 serve at Šiauliai, while other four serve at the air traffic control centre inKaunas, to ensure smooth cooperation with local authorities. The Romanian detachment has attracted huge attention from the local media, not least from the fact that it is only the second time a fighter from theSoviet era has deployed toŠiauliai;Polish Air ForceMiG-29s have also been deployed there in 2006. The RoAF will most probably perform again Baltic Air Policing in future.[14]
In 2012, anAlabama Air National Guard contingent composed of eightF-16 fighters and nearly twenty fighter pilots of the100th Fighter Squadron was deployed at the base to participate in the three-week "Dacian Viper 2012" exercise. The contingent exercised with approximately 200 Romanian soldiers, technical staff, and pilots flying six MiG-21 LanceRs.[15] The 100th Fighter Squadron was deployed at the base again in 2015 for exercise "Dacian Viper 2015".[16]
ARoyal Canadian Air Force detachment of 6 xMcDonnell Douglas CF-18 Hornets from425 Tactical Fighter Squadron was based here between 5 May and 22 August 2014. The detachment participated in NATO's enhancedAir Policing mission over Romania under the CanadianOperation Reassurance. After finishing their deployment, the Canadian Hornets were moved toŠiauliai Air Base for Baltic Air Policing duties.[17][18]
In March 2015, an advance group of fourA-10s of the U.S. Air Force arrived to take part in an exercise. The “Dacian Thunder 2015” operation, held between 27 March and 7 July 2015, involved 350 Airmen and 12 A-10s.[19]
In 2019, the firstMQ-9 Reapers of theUS Air Force were deployed at the base. These drones were operated by the52nd Expeditionary Operations Group, Detachment 2 based atMirosławiec inPoland.[20] In 2020, they participated in the "Dacian Reaper-20" exercise.[21]
In February 2021, the US Air Force deployed approximately 90 airmen and several MQ-9 drones of the31st Expeditionary Operations Group, Detachment 1 at the base. The Reapers started flying remote-split operations on 1 February. The drones are managed by the newly activated731st Expeditionary Attack Squadron while air operations are handled by the25th Attack Group, located at theShaw Air Force Base,South Carolina. The group is subordinated to the432nd Air Expeditionary Wing.[22][23] On 14 July 2022, one of the drones crashed in acornfield south of the base, while conducting a training mission.[24]
Also in 2021, the US began participating in the enhanced Air Policing mission in Romania by deploying F-15 fighters of the336th Fighter Squadron to the air base.[25]
In October 2023, theDutch Ministry of Defence announced that it will send MQ-9 Reaper drones to Romania with the task of monitoring the eastern flank of the Alliance. The three drones belonging to the 306 Squadron were redeployed from theCuraçao International Airport in theCaribbean and arrived at Câmpia Turzii in early 2024.[26][27] The Dutch drones are operated remotely from theLeeuwarden Air Base, and their operational testing was concluded in March.[28] It was announced in February 2025 that two Dutch drones will continue the deployment to Romania for one more year until 31 March 2026.[29]
TwelveUnited States Air ForceMcDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle fighters and more than 150 aviators of the492nd Fighter Squadron were deployed from 27 March to 6 April 2008, in order to provide air policing together with the Romanian Air Force fighters during theNATO2008 Bucharest Summit held atBucharest.[30] These fighters were assisted byBoeing KC-135 Stratotankers located at theBudapest Airport inHungary.[31] Under the code-name Operation Noble Endeavor, the Romanian-led effort supported by the323d Air Expeditionary Wing directed the USAF deployment of KC-135 Stratotankers, F-15C and F-15E Strike Eagles,E-3 Sentries, andF-16 Fighting Falcons.[32]
The following flying and non-flying units are located at Câmpia Turzii.[33][34][35]
Romanian Air Force[edit]Air Force General Staff
Royal Netherlands Air Force[edit]Air Combat Command (ACC)
| United States Air Force[edit]United States Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa (USAFE-AFAFRICA)
|
The 71st Air Base has received the following decorations:[36]
Order of Aeronautical Virtue, Peacetime (Knight – 2014)
