Nato fighter jets shoot down drone over European member state

Craig Munro | Senior Politics Reporter Published August 16, 2026 8:28am Updated August 16, 2026 8:28am A McDonnell Douglas F/A-18A Hornet fighter jet of the Spain Air Force (Picture: Joan Valls/Urbanandsport /NurPhoto via Getty Images) Two Spanish fighter jets were sent to shoot down a drone that entered Romanian airspace earlier this morning. The pair of Nato jets were already in the air when they were tasked with intercepting the unmanned aircraft at around 4.45am. Around 15 minutes later, it had been shot down, with the wreckage landing in an unpopulated area between two towns according to Romania’s Ministry of Defence. The ministry did not confirm where the drone originated, but said radars detected it entering Romania – an EU and Nato member – from neighbouring Moldova. Defence Minist