Romania has begun construction of what will eventually become NATO’s largest European military base, as the military alliance seeks to beef up its capabilities in the Black Sea region with an eye on Russian activity there.
The $2.7 billion project will expand the Romanian Air Force 57th Air Base Mihail Kogălniceanu, located close to the Black Sea port of Constanța. The new facility will have a perimeter of almost 35 kilometers and will be home to some 10,000 NATO personnel and their families.
Romania has become a key hub for NATO operations in the Black Sea region in recent years. Thousands of U.S. troops have passed through the country on training and security missions since Russia invaded Ukraine.
The mega-facility is poised to sprawl across nearly three thousand hectares, resembling a small city in scale and infrastructure.
From essential military infrastructure such as runways and hangars for military aircraft to civilian facilities including schools, kindergartens, shops, and even a hospital, the base is designed to be self-sustaining and equipped to meet diverse operational requirements.
Euronews reported that the government allocated 2.5 billion euros for this project, which will transform the base in Constanta County into NATO‘s most important facility in Europe.
