A Spanish NATO F-18 jet shot down an unauthorized drone over southeastern Romania early on Sunday, the Romanian Ministry of Defense announced.
Radar systems detected the unmanned aircraft entering Romanian airspace from neighboring Moldova, approximately 24 kilometers north of the city of Galati.
The Spanish fighter jet, participating in a NATO air policing mission, was mobilized to intercept the target.
Romania's Ministry of Defense stated that the F-18 acquired radar contact with the target and received permission to engage before safely shooting down the drone at 05:01.
According to initial estimates by Romanian authorities, debris from the downed drone fell in an uninhabited area between two villages.
Fourth Airspace Violation in 2026
The Ministry of Defense did not specify the origin of the drone involved in the Sunday morning incident.
The shootdown is the fourth unmanned aircraft brought down over Romania in 2026, as airspace violations have increased in the wake of the war in Ukraine.
In July, Romanian F-16 fighter pilots shot down three Russian drones that had entered national airspace.
Those July interceptions marked the first time Romania carried out shootdowns after dozens of violations were recorded in the more than four years since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
NATO Air Policing Over Eastern Europe
Galati is a major inland port city located along the Danube River in southeastern Romania, situated near the tripoint border with Moldova and Ukraine.
NATO allies conduct air policing missions over member nations on the eastern flank to safeguard sovereign airspace and respond to unidentified radar contacts.
Spain routinely contributes EF-18 Hornet aircraft to NATO defense deployments across eastern Europe, providing rapid reaction intercept capabilities.
Authorities said Romanian defense systems remain on alert following the recovery of debris between the two villages.
