In a significant escalation near NATO’s eastern flank, Romania scrambled fighter jets in response to a new wave of Russian drone attacks targeting Ukraine’s infrastructure near the Romanian border. The incident occurred in the early hours of October 2, 2024, as drones reportedly approached Tulcea County, a region along the Danube River, prompting a swift military reaction. Spain, a NATO ally, also played a crucial role, sending F-18 jets to assist.
At 12:50 a.m., two Spanish F-18 jets were deployed from Romania’s Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base, followed by two Romanian F-16 jets from Borcea Air Base at 2:40 a.m. The mission lasted until 5:00 a.m., with no confirmed breaches of Romanian airspace, although reports suggest a Russian drone may have briefly crossed Romanian territory for less than three minutes.
The incident has raised alarms over the proximity of Russian military activities to Romania, a NATO member. Authorities swiftly issued warnings to residents in Tulcea and Galați counties, urging them to remain vigilant overnight.
Romania’s Ministry of National Defense condemned the attacks, highlighting violations of international law. Romania has been bolstering its air defense in response to several previous incidents involving Russian drones near its border, with NATO increasing its surveillance capabilities in the region.
Spain’s involvement in the response is part of NATO’s Enhanced Air Policing (EAP) mission. Spain has deployed eight F-18s to Romania since 2023 under the “Paznic” detachment, with the goal of securing NATO’s southeastern borders, particularly near the Black Sea, amidst growing tensions in Eastern Europe. These jets have played a critical role in multiple high-profile air defense operations.
The Romanian Air Force, on its part, has undergone significant modernization since 2010. Having initially aimed to acquire F-16s from the U.S., Romania turned to Portugal due to budget constraints, acquiring 12 used F-16s by 2016. This marked the beginning of a multi-stage effort to retire the country’s aging MiG-21s and upgrade to more modern combat aircraft. Romania expanded its fleet further with additional F-16s from both Portugal and Norway, with plans to operate three F-16 squadrons by 2023.
Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, Romania has faced numerous incidents involving Russian drones in its border regions. Debris from drones targeting Ukrainian port infrastructure has been found on Romanian soil multiple times, sparking concerns over violations of Romanian sovereignty and the safety of its citizens.
The Romanian government has responded to these incursions by strengthening its air defense systems and increasing coordination with NATO allies. Romanian officials have called for greater defensive cooperation within the alliance, underscoring the serious threat posed by drone attacks and the potential for the conflict to spill over into neighboring countries.
Romania remains on high alert, particularly as the conflict continues to rage near critical Ukrainian ports along the Danube River. With Russian drones continuing to target these areas, Romania and its NATO allies are closely monitoring the situation, prepared to respond swiftly to any further threats to their airspace.
