Romanian radar systems detected aerial targets near the border with Ukraine, prompting the authorities to activate public alerts and mobilize fighter jets to monitor the situation.
Romania put its air defense forces on high alert in the morning of March 13 after radar systems detected air targets near the border with Ukraine. The alert was issued around 10:00 a.m., when flying objects were identified north of Tulcea county, in the area between Kilia Veche and Vilkov, a strategic region near the Danube Delta.
Faced with the situation, the authorities immediately activated the RO-ALERT public warning system to inform the local population about the possible risk. At the same time, the Romanian Air Force sent two F-16 fighter jets from the 86 Borcea Air Base for reconnaissance and airspace monitoring missions.
According to the preliminary data provided by the Romanian authorities, there is a possibility that the remains of a drone may have fallen on the territory of the country, in the Chilia Veche area. Search teams were mobilized to investigate the area and to identify any fragments of the unmanned aircraft.
A few hours later, new drones were detected in the immediate vicinity of the Romanian airspace, which led to the sending of a second RO-Alert message to the inhabitants of the Danube Delta area.
At around 11:55, the air response was reinforced by the take off of two fighter jets Eurofighter Typhoon of the German Air Force, which participates in NATO’s enhanced air policing mission in the region. The aircraft took off from Air Base 57 to support area monitoring and ensure the security of allied airspace.
Romanian authorities continue to investigate the incident and monitor the situation along the border with Ukraine, a region where repeated episodes of drones have been recorded since the beginning of the war in the neighboring country.
To strengthen its defense capability against these threats, Romania also announced that it will equip itself with the MEROPS anti-drone system, a technology that has attracted attention on the Ukrainian battlefield due to its effectiveness in neutralizing unmanned aircraft.
Source and images: Ministry of National Defense of Romania | Wikimedia. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
