Airfield improvements increase readiness and capacity at MK Air Base in Romania

MIHAIL KOGALNICEANU AIR BASE, Romania - U.S. and Romanian officials celebrated the latest improvement project completed at the Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base portion of U.S. Army Garrison Black Sea here yesterday - the airfield's new cargo pad.

The new MK cargo pad will support both fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft and will bolster local airfield capabilities for both exercises and real-world missions. The new cargo pad and associated runway tie-ins will facilitate the safe loading and unloading of a wide range of materials including items requiring additional safety protocols.

MK Air Base Commander Romanian Air Force Col. Nicolae Cretu represented the host nation and joined several project partners for the ceremony including U.S. Army Garrison Black Sea Commander Lt. Col. Brian Fiddermon, U.S. Army Support Group Black Sea Commander Col. Kesler Weaver and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Europe District Commander Col. Dan Kent to cut the ceremonial ribbon on the project.

Europe District manages various construction projects at MK Air Base, including the recently completed cargo pad.

"This project adds to the many projects that have already been delivered in recent years and even more construction still underway right now on base - all complementing each other to increase the operational capacity here and support the reinforcement of NATO's Eastern Flank," Kent said.

MK Air Base has been used by U.S. forces since 1999 and has over time become a key facility for rotational U.S. forces in the Black Sea region.

Since 2009, MK has been formally operating as a Permanent Forward Operating Site. Earlier this year, the U.S. Army stood up U.S. Army Garrison Black Sea. The garrison is headquartered at MK Air Base, but also includes the Novo Selo Training Area in Bulgaria.

Over that time, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Europe District has delivered projects to support the growth of MK Air Base's role in the region, with the recently completed cargo pad just being the latest example. Multiple additional projects are underway, with many potential future projects also in planning stages.

"I had the opportunity to check out the progress on barracks improvements and various smaller projects currently underway that will go even further improve this already impressive base," Kent said. "At MK Air Base, this is all part of a larger construction program we're proud to be managing that overall includes an investment of more than $100 million in projects on this great base."

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