Romanias defense ministry reported that radar systems picked up a second drone in two days entering its national airspace however fighter jets sent to intercept couldnt spot it. The incident occurred in the south-eastern county of Constanta
On Oct 17 2024 army radars detected a small flying object (likely a drone) heading towards Constanta before losing its signal. Fighter jets didnt see it and Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu mentioned on Oct 18 that the defense ministry was looking into the possibility of a “cyber challenge‚ because pilots didnt have visual contact with the drone“
The following night another drone was detected up to 19 km inland also in Constanta county. Romania again sent two F-16 fighter jets and two Spanish F-18s (which are doing air policing missions in the country for the rest of the year) but pilots couldnt see the drone. Constanta residents were told to take cover
Romania an EU and NATO member sharing a 650-km border with Ukraine has seen Russian drone fragments fall onto its territory many times since Oct 2023 as Moscow attacks Ukrainian port infrastructure. While most fragments landed in Romania after being destroyed by Ukrainian air defenses worries of escalation grew in Sep 2024 when both Romania and Latvia had their airspace breached by Russian drones
We are analyzing the possibility of a cyber challenge
- F-16 fighter jets scrambled
- Spanish F-18s on air policing missions
- Residents warned to take cover
- Drone fragments falling for over a year
These events highlight the ongoing challenges faced by Romania in protecting its airspace and managing potential security risks near its border with Ukraine