A Romanian Air Force F-16 fighter jet shot down an unauthorized drone over national airspace on Friday morning, marking the first time the NATO member state has kinetically engaged and destroyed an intruding aerial vehicle over its own territory.
Romanian President Nicușor Dan confirmed the engagement took place around 11:02 a.m. local time over an unpopulated area near Padina in Buzău County. Military radar first detected the target entering eastern Romanian airspace near Sulina, triggering immediate air defense protocols. Italian Eurofighter Typhoons operating under NATO air policing and two Romanian F-16s were scrambled to track the craft before a Romanian pilot was cleared to engage and destroy the drone with an air-to-air missile.
Interim Defense Minister Radu Miruță praised the rapid response and composure of the aircrews while confirming that investigation teams are currently surveying the crash site to establish the drone’s origin. The interception follows a series of regional airspace incursions stemming from the war in neighboring Ukraine, prompting renewed calls from Bucharest for expanded investment in regional air defense systems.
