Tactical training exercise builds partnerships

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Natasha Stannard
  • 52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs
CAMPIA TURZII, Romania (AFNS) --  Approximately 260 members of the 81st Fighter Squadron along with members of the U.S. Marine Corps, Royal Air Force and Romanian air force's 71st Air Fotilla are training with one another in Exercise Dacian Thunder to strengthen capabilities as combined forces in contingency operations throughout the month of July here.

Throughout the exercise each nation trains and exchanges methods to sharpen tactics, techniques and procedures in air-to-air, air-to-ground, combat search and rescue, air defense, air security, air intelligence, tactical command, and cross service logistical support and operations.

"It's exceptional training we're able to accomplish together," said Lt. Col. John Briner, 81st FS commander. "For combat search and rescue, we had the opportunity to work with Romanian helicopters, and we hadn't had that opportunity before."

"We enjoy to fly, work and collaborate with the U.S.," added Romanian air force Capt. George Diveica, 71st Air Fotilla IAR 330 helicopter pilot. "All in all, it's a great experience and training for all partners. It is very helpful and useful for us to train with these countries."

Diveica added that It is good to learn from one another and gain strength through seeing how each country executes their procedures. It's also nice to see and share how each country accomplishes missions using different techniques and methods.

Exercising with the Romanain IAR 330 helicopter and Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 pilots here is beneficial for the 81st FS pilots because they operate with them in contingency operations around the world. Working together now, helps both parties understand each other's mechanisms and answers questions in a training environment rather than real world operations.

"We're looking to sharpen our tactical knives and make sure we're better and more proficient in different skills sets," said Briner. "We're also here to continue to develop our relationship with the Romanian air force. We were here last year doing the same missions, so we're building up on what we have with the Romanain pilots. That way, we can have a good foundation of working together to increase the challenging mission sets we have to have.

"We will see them, the Romanians, in future contingency operations," he continued. "It's a way to practice and be ready so when that next contingency develops, we'll have built relations already."