Spanish NH90 Helicopters Deployed for First-Ever Drone Interception in Romania
Spain deployed two NH90 helicopters for the first time since the start of its air detachment deployment in Romania, following the detection of unidentified drones.
The Spanish Ministry of Defence reported the incident.
The NH90 helicopters are part of the Spanish Paznic Tactical Air Detachment, which operates from Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base near the Romanian city of Constanța.
This was the first operational deployment of Spanish helicopters in response to an Alpha Scramble alert during a NATO international mission.
Alpha Scramble involves the immediate deployment of fighter jets or helicopters in response to an alert signal to intercept, identify and, if necessary, neutralize an aerial target.
The use of helicopters to patrol airspace is not limited to Spain.
Militarnyi previously reported that Czech AH-1Z attack helicopters were being deployed to patrol the airspace near the Polish-Belarusian border.
Spanish NH90 helicopters in Romania
The Spanish Paznic Air Detachment took command of NATO’s enhanced Air Policing mission in Romania on 31 July 2026. It consists of seven EF-18M Hornet fighter jets, one A400M tanker aircraft and three NH90 helicopters. In total, Spain deployed approximately 200 military personnel to Romania.
The helicopters joined the mission during its final phase. They were deployed primarily to counter unmanned aerial vehicles that pose a threat to the airspace of NATO member states.
According to the detachment commander, Lieutenant Colonel Alberto B. Calvo López, the NH90 helicopters do not replace the EF-18M fighter jets but rather complement their capabilities.
The air detachment is scheduled to complete its mission in Romania at the end of November 2026.
Source: Militaryni
