Afghanistan pull-out: not Manas but Romania. Ramstein ?

[Stratofreighter]

http://dawn.com/news/1050149/us-may-use ... an-pullout

Representatives from both governments in recent months have been negotiating the terms for use of the Mihail Kogalniceanu air base in eastern Romania,
which would serve as the main hub for flying troops out of Afghanistan back to the United States.

Some equipment also would be flown from Afghanistan to the base, officials said.

[Thijs]

http://dawn.com/news/1050149/us-may-use ... an-pullout

Representatives from both governments in recent months have been negotiating the terms for use of the Mihail Kogalniceanu air base in eastern Romania,
which would serve as the main hub for flying troops out of Afghanistan back to the United States.

Some equipment also would be flown from Afghanistan to the base, officials said.

Maybe it has some effect on Ramstein traffic but the main reason MK will be used is....

Under the arrangement, troop flight operations would shift to Romania from Manas airbase in Kyrgyzstan, where a lease expires in July 2014, US defense officials told AFP.

Full article http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/ar ... 98e36c67ff

[K-9]

As always, it has yet to be seen if it has any impact on movements at Ramstein.

Ramstein isn't a specific hub for the afghan theater, but more for the overal US area of responsibility on this side of the ocean. Guess bases such as Rota / Sigonella would be more affected AMC wise ...
Closure of Manas was to be expected for some time and with the withdrawal of troops, movements at the romanian base won't be too high i think.

[Richard from Rotterdam]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-24590082

US to use Romanian air base for Afghan pullout

The US lease on the Manas air base expires in July 2014

The US has agreed a deal with Romania to use an air base there as a transit point for American forces leaving Afghanistan, officials have said.

The agreement was reached at bilateral talks at the Pentagon.

The move will allow the US to switch its flight operations to Romania from Kyrgyzstan's Manas air base, when the US lease there expires in July 2014.

Washington plans to withdraw most of its 52,000 troops from Afghanistan by the end of 2014.

The US wants to keep a smaller force in the country after the deadline, but is still negotiating key details with the government in Kabul.

US praise

The deal about the use of Romania's Mihail Kogalniceanu air base was agreed during the talks between US Secretary of Defence Chuck Hagel and Romanian Defence Minister Mircea Dusa.

In a statement, Pentagon spokesman George Little said Mr Hagel "praised this agreement, which is particularly important as the US prepares to wind down transit centre operations at Manas".

"Secretary Hagel highlighted this agreement as a further testament to Romania's steadfast commitment to the Isaf (International Security Assistance Force) mission and its commitment to regional and international security."

However, the details of the deal were not released. The base is near the Black Sea town of Constanta.

In June, Kyrgyzstan's parliament voted to end the US lease on Manas in July 2014.

The US pays $60m (£39m) each year to lease the base, which has been in operation since 2001.

Russia also has an air base in Kyrgyzstan, for which it agreed a 15-year extension last year.