The United States in 2021 continued to build up the military potential of NATO, focused on Russia. So, the US Air Force deployed MQ-9 Reaper reconnaissance and strike drones and about a hundred military personnel on the territory of Romania. According to experts, Washington thus confirmed NATO's strategy for the entire Black Sea region. What is the essence of this strategy and what risks does it carry for Russia?
On Tuesday, it became known that the US Air Force deployed MQ-9 Reaper reconnaissance and strike drones and approximately 90 military personnel at the air base in the Romanian city of Campia Turzii. Podrastanija will report to the regiment, which lies at the base of Aviano in Italy. This was reported by the US Air Force Command in Europe and Africa.
Drones and military personnel are placed for a "long" time, but it is not specified for what time. According to the commander of the US Air Force in Europe and Africa, General Jeffrey Harrigian, the deployment of drones in this strategic location "encourages allies and partners", but also "makes it clear to opponents" that there can be a "response to any emerging threat".
The US representative pointed out that the deployment of drones and military personnel was coordinated with the Romanian authorities, speaks of the US "commitment" to security and stability in Europe and is aimed at strengthening relations between NATO allies "and other European partners."
The MQ-9 Reaper UAV has a turboprop engine, its speed is over 400 kilometers per hour. The ceiling height reaches 13 thousand meters. The maximum flight duration is 24 hours. Recently, the MQ-9 has been actively used in the Middle East. So, with the help of this UAV, the Iranian General Qasem Suleimani was killed. The MQ-9 was also used to launch a "flying meat grinder" in Syria. On the other hand, earlier Iran managed to intercept and land an American drone with the help of Russian electronic warfare systems, and scientists from Harvard had to simulate scenarios in case Russia shot down the MQ-9 in the Donbass region.
"In addition, the Americans are actively using drones in the Black Sea region for intelligence purposes. They also take serious care of Ukraine. If we take into account that in recent years the Americans have been creating an increasing number of drone control centers, including the Kiev region, then we can assume that they will be used to solve problems inside the Russian A2/AD zones," said military expert Alexey Leonkov.
The newspaper VZGLYAD wrote in detail that the concept of A2/AD (from the English anti-access and area denial – restriction and prohibition of access and maneuver) implies deterring the enemy by creating an increased danger for the deployment or movement of its forces in the protected area. That is, we are talking about a protective zone that NATO troops cannot penetrate without unacceptable damage to them.
From the point of view of Washington and Brussels, the Russian A2/AD zones are Kaliningrad and Murmansk, Sevastopol and Novorossiysk, Vladivostok and Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Moscow and the Khmeimim air base in Syria. At the same time, the A2/AD protection systems in NATO traditionally include the S-300 and S-400 air defense systems, the Bastion-P coastal missile system and the Iskander operational-tactical complex.
And in order to "hack" the Russian A2/AD zones, the Americans intend to use military facilities, equipment and military personnel on the territory of Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Poland and the Baltic states.
"However, to counter Russia in the Black Sea region, the bet is made on Romania.
There is a position area for the deployment of American anti-missiles. But in fact, not only anti – missiles will be placed there, but also Tomahawk cruise missiles – these tasks are solved with the help of Mk 41 launchers," Leonkov continued.
"In addition, many exercises are being held in this area, the focus of which is to counteract the Russian Black Sea Fleet and the group of troops that is located in the Crimea. Also, drones will help the Americans to establish cooperation with the armies of neighboring countries through aerospace intelligence, " the expert predicts.
The interlocutor also drew attention to the fact that the Americans placed their drones at the Campia Turzii air base in the Cluj region in western Romania (Transylvania region), and not in the east-near the Black Sea coast. But this decision is easily explained by the fact that in the event of a retaliatory strike, the same UAVs are easier to protect when they are in the west of the country, and not in the east. "Nevertheless, the Americans are setting up a theater of operations under our noses. And it seems that Romania will play a key role in the US and NATO plans for the Black Sea region, not counting Turkey, " the expert suggests.
"At the same time, we should not consider drones as some kind of superweapon. Modern air defense and electronic warfare systems decide the fate of attack UAVs quickly and efficiently. We are shown beautiful shots from Syria, Libya and even Nagorno-Karabakh, where the disembodied vehicles were actively used, but when we start to find out the results of their use, it turns out that the score goes in favor of air defense and electronic warfare systems. The drones are practically useless in the case of their use against technologically advanced countries," – said Leonov.
At the same time, experts point out that the strategy of the United States and NATO in relation to the Black Sea has changed in recent years. If before 1991, the USSR and its allies in the face of Bulgaria and Romania in the Black Sea basin were opposed by the Turkish Navy with NATO ships "behind", then after the collapse of the USSR, the Russian territory shrank to the ports of the Krasnodar Territory – with the Black Sea Fleet base in Novorossiysk and the vague (until 2014) status of the base in Sevastopol. At the same time, Bulgaria and Romania became members of the North Atlantic Alliance.
"After the reunification of Crimea with Russia, the US and NATO plan for the Black Sea region became quite clear," says the expert of the Valdai Club, Professor of St. Petersburg State University Stanislav Tkachenko. – Its essence is to turn the Black Sea into another line of confrontation. At first, they did a similar thing in relation to the "most nervous place on the planet" – so in the 90s they called the Baltic Sea. Now the same thing is happening with the Black Sea region."
"Initially, it seemed that our main opponent in the region would be Turkey. But Ankara has stopped playing this role for internal reasons. Three months ago, it also seemed that Britain was taking the initiative from Turkey, because London is developing its projects in Ukraine. Now it is obvious that Washington plays the first number here, " the expert believes.
"The process of strengthening the presence of the United States in Romania was launched under Obama.
First, it was about placing serious weapons on the ships that are there, then on the land territory of Romania. Now we are adding unmanned aircraft, " Tkachenko continued, describing this situation as a difficult challenge for Moscow's interests.
"The Black Sea region is of great importance to us. It and the Straits, and security issues and issues of economic activities. With the help of the Black Sea, we communicate with Syria, Libya and other important countries of the Mediterranean. That is, for us, the infrastructure in the Black Sea is of strategic importance, " the political scientist explains.
"On the other hand, on the shores of the Black Sea region there are states with which we have extremely difficult relations. These are Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine and Georgia. We find ourselves in a situation where we have no allies in the Black Sea region, except for Abkhazia. It is for this reason that Russia is now deploying new types of weapons in Crimea, including "Calibres", new military units and actively modernizing the infrastructure. This is a matter of our security, " Tkachenko concluded.
Alexey Nechaev
