From left, Pfc. Joshua Smith, Ryan Walter, and Sgt. James Kurpaska, attached to 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division, return a drone from a practice resupply mission at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center near Hohenfels, Germany, Oct. 20, 2023. The 101st Airborne conducted live-fire counterdrone drills in Romania in recent days, the U.S. Embassy in Bucharest announced. (Kenneth Rodriguez/U.S. Army)
The 101st Airborne Division carried out live-fire counterdrone drills in Romania, the U.S. Embassy in Bucharest announced this week on the heels of reports that commercial drones have been buzzing around a large allied air base in the country.
The paratroopers participating in the exercise at a Black Sea coastal range were able to track and destroy the drones with a combination of electronic warfare and large-caliber machine guns, the embassy said.
The embassy spotlighted the drill, which was conducted April 10 but not announced until Thursday, amid reports that multiple commercial drones have been spotted in the vicinity of Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base.
“The exercise represents a continued milestone not only in the U.S.-Romanian strategic relationship, but also in Romania’s deterrence posture in the volatile Black Sea region,” the statement said.
The 101st Airborne’s 3rd Brigade Combat Team is in Romania on a rotational mission to bolster NATO’s position on its southeastern flank. The air base, positioned near the coastal city of Constanta, is a hub for U.S. forces in the country.
Multiple Romanian media outlets reported that at least two drones on Monday were seen maneuvering near the base, which is commonly referred to as MK by U.S. military personnel.
Romanian defense officials told News Romania that “all measures were taken to maintain safety in the air space” and that electronic warfare countermeasures were used in that effort.
Secure air space has become a top priority in Romania, where in recent weeks government officials said they found fragments of a possible Russian drone near the country’s border with Ukraine.
Russian missiles also have landed close to Romania’s border during the course of the Kremlin’s war in Ukraine. The situation has led to a larger U.S. presence at MK and a stepped-up NATO air patrol mission there.
Meanwhile, a major expansion of MK is ongoing, with various construction and renovation projects.
In March, Romanian officials said the multibillion-dollar effort will make MK among the largest bases in Europe, eventually surpassing the size of Ramstein Air Base in Germany.
Not all the projects are directly related to military missions. Schools, shops, pharmacies and a hospital for military members and their families also are in the works, Euronews Romania reported March 16.
Nicolae Cretu, the commander of the Romanian air base, told Euronews Romania that infrastructure is being developed to support an array of capabilities, including special operations and other ground force elements. Cretu did not indicate where those units might come from.
The U.S. military has about 5,000 troops in Romania operating on a rotational basis. The Pentagon has not indicated any interest in establishing a permanent force in the country.
