Romanian F-16 jet intercepted and shot down a drone in Romanian airspace on July 24, 2026, marking the first such downing over national territory, with NATO support and emphasis on advancing air defense capabilities.

On July 24, 2026, a Romanian Air Force F-16 fighter jet shot down an unidentified drone that had entered Romania's airspace, marking the first drone interception and destruction over Romanian territory. The drone was detected by Romanian Ministry of National Defense radar surveillance systems at 9:39 a.m. near Sulina and tracked along a flight path toward Brăila, Fetești, and Buzău counties. Italian Eurofighter Typhoon jets were scrambled under NATO Air Policing mission, followed by two Romanian F-16s authorized to engage the target. At 11:02 a.m., an F-16 from 86th Air Base engaged and shot down the drone over an uninhabited area near the village of Padina, Buzău county. Romanian officials emphasized the incident underscores the need for continued investment in air defense and counter-drone capabilities. This incident follows a similar drone downing by a Romanian F-16 over Estonian airspace in May 2026 during NATO Air Policing missions.