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Enlargement of Mihail Kogalniceanu air base, contribution to Black Sea security
The enlargement of the 57th Air Base is an important step in Romania's efforts to adapt to the new realities of the current and future security environment and a major contribution to strengthening the role of pillar of stability that our country has assumed in the Black Sea region, Chief of Staff of the Romanian Air Force, Major General Leonard-Gabriel Baraboi said on Tuesday.
According to a MApN press release, the start of construction works for a new runway at the "Captain Aviator Constantin Cantacuzino" Air Base in Mihail Kogalniceanu was officially marked in the presence of Minister of National Defence, Angel Tilvar.
The event was also attended by the head of the Directorate of Domains and Infrastructures, Brigadier General Cristian Apostol.
At the end, Minister Tilvar pointed out that the constant allocation to the Defence budget of 2% of GDP, starting with 2017, raised to 2.5% this year, is starting to produce concrete effects.
"These investments will significantly improve the operational and training capabilities of the Romanian and allied Air Forces that will be able to be deployed here, but will also contribute significantly to the economic development of the local communities - the locality of residence, Mihail Kogalniceanu, but also the other administrative-territorial units in the vicinity, by creating new jobs and attracting important investments for the entire county of Constanta," said the minister, according to MApN.
The head of the Romanian Air Force, Major General Baraboi, said that the project to enlarge the 57th Air Base will result in the first military capability and, at the same time, the first complete and complex element of airport infrastructure built by Romania after 1990.
The entire investment project for the modernisation and expansion of the 57th Air Base "Captain Aviator Constantin Cantacuzino" at Mihail Kogalniceanu has a total value of approximately 12.173 billion lei, excluding VAT. At the end of the works, the area of the base will be approximately 2,800 hectares.