Romania deploys fighter jets after radar detects aerial target Near Black Sea

Romania has dispatched four fighter jets following the detection of a small aerial target near the Black Sea by military radars.

The radar surveillance system identified the aerial target around 2:30 AM on October 19, approximately 45 kilometres east of Sfantu Gheorghe in Tulcea County, Caliber.Az reports citing Russian media.

As the object approached the Romanian state border, two F-18 jets from the Spanish Air Force, stationed at the Mihail Kogalniceanu Airbase, and two F-16s from the Romanian Air Force, based at the 86th airbase in Borca, were deployed to monitor the situation.

The Romanian Defence Ministry reported that the target crossed into the country's airspace around 4:00 AM near the locality of Gura Portiței.

Air surveillance radars continuously monitored the trajectory of the target, which was moving towards the settlement of Cogealac in Constanta County, reaching a maximum penetration depth of 19 kilometres into Romanian territory. However, the combat aircraft did not make visual contact with the target at any point along its path.

The Ministry of Defence reported that the radar signal was lost south of the village of Cogealac around 4:30 AM. The air alert was subsequently cancelled at approximately 5:10 AM, and the warplanes returned to their respective bases.

By Vafa Guliyeva