 Europe's largest NATO base to be built in Romania, armies of Alliance are approaching Russian border. Romania has initiated construction works to expand the military complex of the 57th Romanian Air Force Base, Mihail Kogarnichano. The largest NATO military base in Europe could be operational as early as 2040, according to TVR Info. The Romanian government is investing nearly 2.5 billion euros into the project. The vast military complex resulting from the expansion of the Mihail Kogarnichano base will cover an area of 2,800 hectares and will contain facilities that were not previously present. The project aims to strengthen the air infrastructure including new runways, a new control tower, a beacon and radio navigation system, a flight simulator and hangars. Additionally, administrative and social buildings, schools and kindergartens, shops, restaurants, a cinema and even a hospital will be established. The city will become home to 10,000 NATO servicemen, their families and base support staff. The base is expected to be fully operational by 2040. US troops have been using the base since 1999 and it currently houses units of the 101st Airborne Division of the United States and Allied Fighter Aircraft Tasked with airspace protection duties. This new project follows on from earlier improvements to airbases in Romania with almost $300 million spent at Airbase 71 near Campia Tuzi, a training facility at Sintu and Mihail Kogarnichano. Romania has become a strategic focal point for both the US and NATO as it seeks to strengthen the ability to carry out operations in the region. In addition to fighter aircraft operating from both Base 71 and 75, the US Air Force also routinely flies MQ-9 Reaper drones from Campia Tuzi providing increased surveillance capability close to Romania's border with Ukraine and the Black Sea. In November Romania opened the European F-16 Training Center at the Giorge Mosionita Air Base in Fetești. It is there that Iranian, Romanian and other NATO nations pilots will be trained to fly the US F-16 aircraft. Dorin Popescu, a Romanian military and political analyst said Mihail Kogarnichano base will become the most important permanent NATO military structure in the immediate vicinity of the conflict in Ukraine. It's unlikely that this conflict will end this year, in 2025 or in 2026. It's likely to be a long-term conflict.