Romania Down Third Drone in Three Days Violating Its Airspace

A Romanian F-16 fighter jet shot down a drone violating national airspace near the Black Sea on Sunday, marking the third consecutive day of such incursions.

F-16 Interception Over the Black Sea

On Sunday, July 26, at 10:13 Romanian time (9:13 in Poland), a Romanian F-16 pilot shot down a drone that violated Romanian airspace. The incident occurred in the Sulina-Chilia area over the Black Sea, with Romania scrambling F-16 jets.

Previous Incursions and Radar Detection

This follows a similar incident on Saturday, July 25, when the Romanian military shot down a drone that illegally entered the country’s airspace at 8:34, approximately 9.6 km west of Sfantu Gheorghe in central Romania. The Romanian Ministry of National Defense stated in a morning briefing that radar surveillance systems detected another unauthorized drone penetration operating near the Ukrainian border at 8:22 on Saturday.

NATO Investigation and Defense Procurement

The first drone breach of Romanian airspace occurred on Friday, July 24, which NATO confirmed. The Alliance stated it is investigating the matter, while Bucharest and other nations are in the process of acquiring ground-based interceptor systems. The statement noted that Bucharest has purchased the MEROPS anti-drone system designed to intercept small unmanned systems.

Identification of Shahed Drones and Diplomatic Protest

Chief of the General Staff of the Romanian Armed Forces, Gen. Gheorghita Vlad, reported that the fighter pilot identified the unmanned aerial vehicle as a Shahed-type drone, a model used by the Russian military for attacks against Ukraine. President Nicusor Dan stated on Sunday, July 26, that according to the Prosecutor General’s Office, the drone shot down on Friday morning was a Shahed type used by the Russian Federation in the war against Ukraine, while proceedings regarding the drones shot down yesterday and today are ongoing. He also announced that Romania’s diplomatic protest directed to the Russian Federation will be based on these findings.