AIBRIEF
A Spanish F 18 on NATO standing air policing duty downed an Iranian designed one way attack drone near Galati, the same day drone parts washed up on Black Sea beaches.
A Spanish Air Force F-18, flying NATO standing air-policing patrols from a Romanian air base, shot down a Shahed drone near Galati on Saturday morning: the fourth such interception on Romanian territory this year, Romania's defence ministry said.
The drone entered Romanian airspace from the Republic of Moldova, about 24 km north of Galati, on the morning of August 16, according to the MApN press release and Romania Insider's daily brief. The Moldovan defence ministry identified it as a Shahed 138 (Geran 2), an Iranian-designed one-way attack drone originating from the Ukrainian locality of Cotlovina in the Reni region, crossing Moldova and exiting toward the Romanian border.
The intercept was carried out by a Spanish F-18 on NATO Enhanced Air Policing duty out of Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base, in coordination with the Romanian command centre, under safe conditions. Politico reported the downing this week.
In late May, a similar drone hit an apartment building in Galati, injuring a mother and her son. Three more were shot down by jets within three days in July. On the same day as Saturday's intercept, drone parts, including an intact airframe without explosive charge, were found on Black Sea beaches near the Neptun Alpha offshore platform.
Defence minister Radu Miruță thanked the Spanish pilots and the Romanian command: "Romania defends its airspace, and our allies are with us."