Romanian Air Force Read more here: http://www.aeroflight.co.uk/waf/rom/romaf1.htm [SIZE=-1]Romania[/SIZE] [SIZE=-1]Air Force[/SIZE] [SIZE=-1]Title:[/SIZE] [SIZE=-1]Fortele Aeriene Romane - FAR (Romanian Air Force - RoAF). [/SIZE] [SIZE=-1]Brief History:[/SIZE] [SIZE=-1]In 1910 a small Flying Corps (Corpul Aerian Romana) was established by the Romanian Army. During the First World War the Flying Corps disintegrated as the country was overrun by Austro-German forces. After the Romanian government was reestablished in 1918, it set about forming a new air arm, called the Divisia-I-a Aeriana, under a Directorate of Army Aviation. The new air arm expanded rapidly, and was able to rely increasingly on the domestic aircraft industry. Unfortunately, when World War Two arrived, most of this equipment was obsolete and, with Romania staying neutral, it became difficult to obtain new aircraft from abroad. In September 1940, a Luftwaffe advisory mission arrived to reorganise the air force, (by now called the Fortelor Aerienne Regal de Romana), and on 23 November 1940 Romania signed the Axis Tripartite Pact. The number of German 'instructors' was progressively increased, as was the quantity of German aircraft supplied. When Germany attacked Russia on 22 June 1941, Romanian air elements supported the German attack on the Bessarabian front. By the beginning of 1944, the Romanian squadrons operating in Russia had suffered huge losses, equivalent to almost half of the total front-line strength of the Romanian air force. The severely weakened force was withdrawn to help with countering growing Allied air attacks on the Ploesti oilfields. The anti-fascist coup of 23 August 1944 took the Germans completely by surprise. Attempts were made to move German troops into Bucharest by air, but as the Romanians held all the serviceable airfields, the operation was cancelled. Following the Soviet occupation of Romania, a peace treaty was signed in 1947. The air force was renamed the Fortele Aerienne ale Republicii Populare Romana and reorganised along Soviet lines. In 1953 the first MiG-15 jet fighters were supplied. In 1965 the air force was renamed Fortele Aerienne ale Republicii Socialiste Romana. Following the general uprising of December 1989, the air force assumed it's present title of Fortele Aerienne Romane. In the rebuilding process following the change of government, the air force has been accorded priority status. Aircraft serviceability levels have risen from their previously very low levels and the ageing MiG-21 fleet is undergoing the Lancer upgrade with help from Elbit Systems. [/SIZE]
