Drones near NATO base in Romania shot down, security concerns rise
The Romanian armed forces detected a suspicious flying object, believed to be a drone, near the Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base, close to Constanta. Digi24.ro website reported on this incident, marking it as the second occurrence of its kind recently.
6:38 PM EDT, April 18, 2024
The military's radar systems identified an unidentified drone approaching the perimeter of the base's airport. According to Digi24.ro, within minutes of its detection, the object—thought to be a small civilian drone—was shot down. This quick response eliminated the need for further disruptive measures, Digi24.ro noted.
This incident represents the second unknown drone detected near the base in just a few days, underscoring a growing concern.
The News.ro portal, referencing sources from the national defense ministry, reported that "on Monday, between 10:30 PM and 12:30 AM Eastern Time, soldiers at the 57th Air Base named after Mihail Kogalniceanu observed an unmanned flying system close to the Mihail Kogalniceanu International Airport, soon followed by two others."
At the 57th Air Base Mihail Kogalniceanu, Romanian and allied air forces are stationed, contributing to the Air Policing mission over the Black Sea.
The air base near Constanta
Recent reports indicate plans to modernize and expand the air base near Constanta. Euronews Romania reported in March that "the government has dedicated 2.5 billion euros for this project. Its goal is to transform the base in the Constanta district into Europe's largest NATO facility."
