NATO releases footage of Spanish F-18s downing drone over Romania

Spanish F-18 fighter jets scrambled on Sunday to intercept and shoot down a drone that had entered Romanian airspace from the direction of Moldova. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization's Air Command released footage of the interception, which occurred near Galați.

The intercepted drone "appears to be Russian," according to Colonel Martin O'Donnell, spokesperson for NATO Allied Operations Command Headquarters (SHAPE). The drone entered Romanian airspace overnight between Saturday and Sunday, August 15-16. Wreckage was found near Galați, and authorities are investigating the incident.

Two Spanish F-18 fighter jets, part of a larger contingent of Spanish Air and Space Forces, were deployed from Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base 57. Spain has stationed seven F-18 fighter jets, three NH-90 drones combat helicopters, an A400M aerial refueling aircraft, and approximately 200 military personnel in Romania.

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Additional details regarding Sunday's incident remain under investigation, but the drone appears to be Russian.

The operation was coordinated through NATO's Combined Air Operations Centre in Torrejón, Spain. NATO stated that transitioning from Air Policing to Air Defence missions allows for a more flexible response to a broader spectrum of threats, employing a layered, 360-degree approach across all operational domains.

Romania's interim Defense Minister emphasized the importance of rapid reaction and allied cooperation for national security. "Vigilance, rapid reaction, and allied solidarity are the concrete guarantees of our security. Yes, Romania is on the front line of the European Union's defense," he stated.

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Vigilance, rapid reaction, and allied solidarity are the concrete guarantees of our security. Yes, Romania is on the front line of the European Union's defense.