The crisis in Iran has intensified activity at the Mihail Kogălniceanu airbase in Constanța County. Although not directly involved in theMidnight Hammer operation, in which the American air forces bombed the Iranian nuclear facilities, MK, as the base is also known, once again played an important role in the context of the military conflict in the Middle East.
Starting in mid-June, US military forces transferred at least 125 combat and refueling aircraft to Europe to support the 7 B-2 strategic bombers that were to transport and launch precision depth bombs to destroy the Iranian nuclear program.
The aircraft landed at NATO bases in Ramstein (Germany), Morón (Spain), Aviano (Italy), Prestwick (UK). The Midnight Hammer operation was planned, coordinated, and executed by CENTCOM AOR, the US command center covering the Middle East and Central Asia, including 21 countries, including Iran.
Although the Mihail Kogălniceanu airbase is located in the EUCOM area, the European command center, it also plays an important role as a "logistics and transit center for missions heading to the CENTCOM AOR territory," according to a report from the US Army.
Since June 15, there has been intense activity at the airbase in Constanța, with several US Air Force aircraft landing and taking off from MK, highlighting the importance of the American and NATO hub in Romania.
Flights to and from Ramstein Air Base were recorded, where most of the planes transferred from the US landed.
Flight monitoring applications also reported a series of entries and exits of American military aircraft in Romanian airspace, many of them heading towards the conflict zone in the Middle East.
The frequency of these flights indicates that the airbase in Romania, along with those in Spain, Italy, Germany, and the UK, was part of the military infrastructure that ensured the success of the Midnight Hammer operation.
From a temporary unit to the largest military base in Europe
"The MK Transit Center, built by soldiers from the 902 Engineer Company, part of the 21st Front Support Command, 15th Engineer Battalion, served as a transition point for troops from the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Division, 18th Engineering Brigade and troops from the 2nd Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), who were deployed from Fort Campbell, Kentucky, for a nine-month rotation in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (the war in Afghanistan)," according to a report dated March 2, 2014, signed by Michael Pintagro, a sergeant major from the 21st Front Support Command.
"The mission confirms the vision of leaders and planners from the Department of Defense, through regional commands and individual units, who envisioned the creation of a temporary facility at MK to provide vital transit, transshipment, transportation, and support services for personnel," the American military description further states.
What began as a temporary facility over 10 years ago has evolved into one of the largest American and NATO air bases in Europe.
By 2040, with an investment of $2.5 billion, "once completed, this massive NATO base will cover an area twice the size of Ramstein in Germany.
The dramatic expansion plan underscores Romania's strategic position as a NATO member, which has become even more important since Russia invaded Ukraine," as reported in an article by TWZ (The War Zone) in March 2024.
Strategic partnership saved by tensions in the Middle East
Six months ago, at the beginning of the second Trump administration, several of his supporters, most notably JD Vance, Vice President of the United States, and Elon Musk, the richest man on the planet who was part of the president's executive team for a while, repeatedly criticized European countries, important US allies, for legislation against extremist parties, regulations imposed on social networks, and decisions related to elections.
The main targets were the UK, Germany, France, and Romania.
Since the conclusion of the strategic partnership with the US on July 11, 1997, our country has not been criticized as harshly by an American official - JD Vance - and has not been subjected to such harsh attacks on social media, as Elon Musk, the owner of the online platform X, formerly Twitter, did.
"Of course, we have reached a point where the situation has become so serious that, last December, Romania canceled the results of the presidential elections based on dubious suspicions from an intelligence service and enormous pressure from its continental neighbors.
As far as I understand, the argument was that Russian disinformation affected the outcome of the elections in Romania, but I would ask my European friends to put things into perspective.
You may believe that it is bad for Russia to buy ads on social media to influence your elections. We certainly believe that. You can condemn this even on the global stage.
But if your democracy can be destroyed with a few hundred thousand dollars in digital advertising from a foreign country, then from the beginning, it was not a very strong democracy," said JD Vance in his speech in February 2025, held at the Munich Security Conference in Germany.
Since then, many things have changed, the countries criticized by representatives of the new American administration have once again provided assistance in the most sophisticated and complex military operation of Donald Trump's presidency.
The American President and European Allies
Nicușor Dan, the new President of Romania, supports gradually increasing defense spending to 5% of GDP, as requested by the American administration. At the 2025 value, this would amount to over $20 billion, a figure impossible to sustain given the current excessive deficit.
But the most important change was that the American President needed his European allies to destroy Iran's nuclear facilities and shorten the conflict in the Middle East.
"I'm heading to NATO, where, in the worst case scenario, it will be a much calmer period than the one we just went through with Israel and Iran. I look forward to seeing all my very good European friends again, as well as the others. I hope we will achieve many things!" wrote Donald Trump on Truth Social, his online platform.
Even though at the NATO meeting in The Hague, the American president will pressure European states to increase defense spending - arguing that only states investing five percent of GDP in defensive military systems will benefit from Article 5 of the treaty, the one on common defense - there will be no discussion at any moment about reducing the number of American troops on the continent or rethinking the alliance with a more limited U.S. involvement.
The conflict in the Middle East has once again shown, if there was any doubt, how important the transatlantic alliance is, being the only one that can ensure peace in the Western world.