Ministry of National Defence
Press release No. 198 19.09.2019
Land Force and Air Force soldiers, at the NATO Days in Ostrava, the Czech Republic

70 Air Force soldiers with two MiG-21 LanceRs, two IAR 99 Soim aircraft, two IAR 330 SOCAT helicopters and a C-27 J Spartan airlift aircraft together with 15 servicemen of the Land Forces, with a TR-85 M1 tank, and AD GEPARD system and a PIRANHA IIIC APC participate in the NATO Days event in Ostrava, the Czech Republic, over 20 - 22 September.

The event is organized on Leoš Janaeek Airfield from din Ostrava, and Romania was assigned SPN Special Partner Nation status for this year edition. The Land Forces servicemen as well as the Air Force soldiers will execute demonstrative exercises as well as organize static displays and dynamic exercises with the MIG-21 LancerRs IAR 330 SOCAT helicopters and a C-27 J Spartan airlift of the Air Force.
Point of contact for additional details: cpt. Dorin CHIRCA, tel 0743 019 444.
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NATO Days at Ostrava is mostly an aviation public show, organized annually on Leoš Janaeek airfield, concomitantly with the Czech Air Force Days and consists in aerial demonstrations and static displays of the armed and police forces of the NATO participating member and partner states. Considered an important event in the field of security in Europe, the event also stands out through its military equipment displays in the field of emergency interventions.

20 states participated in the 2018 edition, the dynamic character of the event attracting an impressive number of participants (almost 220,000 spectators).

Starting 2014, at each edition, one of the participating states receives the SPN Special Partner Nation status, which brings about an augmented participation, compared to the participations from the previous editions from 2009, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2018. SPN benefits from a wider space allocated for the capability display, including the equipment manufactured by its own defence industry as well as from a special media coverage. In 2018, the USA held the SPN status , while in the previous editions the status was received by Poland (2014), Sweden (2015), Germany (2016) and Slovakia (2017).

This year, Romania and the Czech republic celebrate 15 years, respectively 20 years since the NATO accession. Next year the two states will celebrate 100 years since the creation of the bilateral diplomatic relations.

The Press Office