Romania starts construction of the largest NATO military base in Europe
Construction of the largest military facility on the continent has begun on the territory of Romania, which is currently at the forefront of NATO’s defense in Eastern Europe, euronews reports. This ambitious €2.5 billion project involves the expansion of the existing Mihail Kogălniceanu airbase, located in Constanta County. The plans include turning this territory into a huge military complex of 2,800 hectares with a total perimeter of 30 kilometers.
The base’s special feature will be its ability to permanently accommodate up to 10,000 NATO troops and their families, turning it into more than just a military structure, but a full-fledged town. It will be equipped with everything necessary for everyday life: from runways and airplane hangars to schools, kindergartens, shops, and a hospital.
In parallel with the construction of basic infrastructure such as roads and power supply, it is planned to create a new runway to be connected to the existing one, as well as develop airport infrastructure to meet the needs of various types of aircraft.
This large-scale government-funded project will play a key role in strengthening NATO’s defense capabilities on its eastern flank, especially in light of the ongoing war in southern Ukraine. Geopolitical analyst Dorin Popescu emphasized the importance of the base as “NATO’s most important permanent military structure in the immediate vicinity of war,” emphasizing its long-term significance.
When completed, the base is expected to surpass the size of even the renowned Ramstein base in Germany, becoming home not only to the U.S. military personnel already present at the air base, but also to numerous other soldiers from NATO member states, further strengthening ties and cooperation within the alliance.
