Romanian F-16 pilot breaks silence on downing two drones: 'We didn't know what we were taking off for'

First public account

On July 30, 2026, Romania's Ministry of National Defence (MApN) released an exclusive video interview with the F-16 pilot who shot down two drones that had entered Romanian airspace illegally the previous weekend. The pilot's face was blurred and voice distorted to protect his identity under NATO and Romanian Air Force operational security rules. It was the first time a Romanian fighter pilot had engaged and destroyed hostile unmanned aircraft over national territory.

The interceptions

The pilot described being scrambled multiple times during the night of July 24 and into the following morning. He did not know the exact nature of the mission when he took off.

The alarm sounded several times during the night, until the next morning. But we were there to respond promptly, with the certainty that every mission must be treated as such. We didn't know what we were taking off for, but we knew we were going to defend our country.

The first drone was downed on July 24 near Padina, in Buzău county. The second interception took place on July 25 near Sfântu Gheorghe. The pilot said both missions demanded the same intense focus, though one target was neutralised faster than the other.

I would say both were equally demanding. Each required the same level of concentration to be able to down the target. One went down quickly, the other perhaps took longer than the first interception.

Team effort

The pilot stressed that the shootdowns were not individual achievements but the result of close coordination with ground crews, air traffic controllers, and his wingman.

Cooperation means everything. From the onboard technician, to the air traffic controller, to the wingman who helps you stay safe at every moment of the flight and follows your path, but ultimately also illuminates your target. It's like a glove, let's say. Each finger of the hand helps at some point to keep the fist clenched. That's how we are, from the pilot, technician, air traffic controller, to the first person in the unit, at the control point. We are all a team and we will all be a team.

He added that only after safely landing could the crew review the mission footage and grasp what they had accomplished as pilots and as a nation.

A message to Romanians

The pilot ended with a direct reassurance to the public.

You are not alone, we are there to protect you, day and night, seven days a week.

General Gheorghiță Vlad, chief of the Romanian Defence Staff, had earlier praised the crew on July 24, revealing that the pilot who engaged the first drone was a captain and his assistant a lieutenant, both no older than 28.

The pilots are wonderful. I wish I had people like them in the entire air fleet. The one who engaged the drone is a captain. The one who assisted him is a lieutenant, meaning two people no older than 28.

Operational secrecy

The Ministry of Defence has not disclosed the pilot's name or unit, citing operational security. The interview was published on MApN's official Facebook page and carried by multiple Romanian media outlets. The drones were described as Russian by Digi24, though official statements have not confirmed their origin. The interceptions mark the first time Romanian F-16s have been used in live-fire engagements to defend national airspace.