Scramble for Italian Eurofighters over the Black Sea

The Eurofighter Typhoons of the Task Force Air 51st Wing, deployed in Romania, took off from Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base near Constanța in response to an alert issued in the northeastern area of the country.

The intervention of the two Italian fighter jets, coordinated with the Romanian Air Force’s F-16s, took place within the framework of the Enhanced Air Policing – Southern Area operation, named ‘Black Storm II’, aimed at ensuring the security and integrity of NATO’s airspace.

The immediate take-off order, known as an ‘alpha scramble’, was issued by NATO’s Combined Air Operations Center (CAOC) in Torrejón in response to a series of activities carried out by Russian Federation drones targeting Ukrainian port infrastructure in the southwestern region of Ukraine, near the border.

Guided by the Control Reporting Center (CRC) in Balotești, the Italian aircraft monitored Romania’s northern border, particularly in the Tulcea area, with the goal of detecting and tracking any drones approaching NATO airspace. After hours of joint patrolling with Romanian aircraft, the alert status was lifted around 5 a.m.

Air policing missions are a key component of NATO’s collective defense, ensuring constant 24/7 surveillance of its airspace.

The Italian Air Force participates in operations in Romania with its own assets, operating under the direction of the Joint Operations Headquarters for national matters and under the operational control of NATO’s CAOC for international activities.