Two EF-18 Hornet fighter-bombers from the Spanish Air and Space Force, operating in Romania as part of Detachment Paznic, were deployed to respond to the presence of a Russian drone detected by the Romanian and NATO surveillance systems.
According to the Spanish General Staff of Defense (EMAD), the Hornets, along with Romanian F-16 fighters, formed the quick reaction force deployed following the alert triggered by Romania’s surveillance system. A potential Russian unmanned aircraft had been detected flying over the Black Sea, heading toward Romanian territory, approximately 150 km east of Mihail Kogălniceanu, in Constanța County.
“…The possibility that it was a Russian drone used as an intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) platform was considered…,” detailed EMAD
In its statement, the EMAD also mentioned that “…Given the drone’s trajectory towards NATO airspace, the Combined Air Operations Center in Torrejón (CAOC-TJ) ordered the Spanish EF-18 Hornets from Detachment ‘Paznic’ to scramble and establish a patrol along the Black Sea coast…”
As the Russian drone moved closer to the Romanian border, two F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter-bombers from the Romanian Air Force’s 86th Air Base in Borcea were also deployed to monitor the situation. The Romanian Ministry of Defense reported that “…radar signals indicated the drone crossed into Romanian airspace around 7:00 PM, near the town of Eforie Nord, and then continued towards Topraisar…”
“…The aerial surveillance radars continuously tracked the drone’s path, which penetrated as far as 14 kilometers into Romanian territory…” The fighter jets were unable to make visual contact with the target at any point along its route, and the surveillance system lost radar contact east of the city of Amzacea around 7:20 PM.
After completing their mission, the Spanish EF-18s landed at Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base, having been relieved by the Romanian Air Force F-16s. In addition to the fighter-bombers, the French Army’s MAMBA anti-aircraft artillery battery, U.S. maritime patrol aircraft, and helicopters based at Mihail Kogalniceanu participated in the search operation.
It is worth noting that in early October, Spanish and Romanian fighter-bombers were scrambled in response to the potential violation of Romanian airspace by Russian drones, following an attack on Ukrainian cities near the border.
Cover image: General Staff of Defense
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