NATO Eastern Air Policing Operations

In early August 2026, the Spanish Air and Space Force deployed a detachment of F‑18 fighters and an A400M tanker to Romania’s Mihail Kogălniceanu base. The deployment, part of a trilateral agreement with Romania and Bulgaria, enables the Spanish aircraft to conduct air‑policing missions over Bulgarian airspace, expanding NATO’s integrated air‑defence flexibility on its eastern flank amid heightened Russian drone activity.

A few days later, on 7 August, the Romanian Air Force carried out a demonstrative air‑policing exercise at Borcea Air Base using its F‑16 Fighting Falcon fleet. The drill showcased the full NATO‑aligned response chain—from rapid scramble to interception and debrief—underscoring Romania’s readiness to protect both its own and the alliance’s eastern airspace.

These exercises are occurring amid regional security concerns related to the conflict in Ukraine, which has resulted in over 50 recorded instances of aircraft or drone fragments entering Romanian territory. Acting Defense Minister Radu Miruță highlighted the professionalism of the pilots, noting that the exercises demonstrate the ability to have aircraft airborne and ready for intervention within 15 minutes in accordance with NATO procedures.

On 8 August, regional tensions were further highlighted when an aerial target was detected by radar near the river border with Ukraine, triggering RO-Alert warnings in Tulcea county. Although the target did not enter Romanian airspace, the incident underscored the volatile environment. Interim Defense Minister Miruță noted that the military is adapting tactics to counter evolving Russian drone technology, while cautioning that a massive simultaneous swarm of drones would necessitate a shift from peacetime to wartime operations.

Together, these events illustrate the ongoing effort to bolster NATO’s air‑policing capabilities in Eastern Europe through multinational deployments and national readiness exercises.