The alliance is “assessing what more can be done now to optimise Romania and NATO’s network of sensors and shooters to safely neutralize such threats,” the same official said.
That could include bringing Romania’s MEROPS counter-drone system “under NATO command,”they said, adding that allies would “have an opportunity” to offer additional capabilities during an force generation conference early next month.
Sorin Moldovan, Romania’s deputy defense minister, said last week at the POLITICO Speakeasy at the GLOBSEC Forum in Prague that if there is a risk to civilians “you don’t give the [order] to fire.”
The full list of kit Romania is asking for remains classified, but the country’s interim Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan listed specialized radars that detect low-altitude drones as one example of the type of equipment the government had requested from NATO partners.
Radu Tudor, an independent security expert, argued one reason NATO had been slow to respond to previous Romanian air defense requests was down to the speed of Russian drone-related innovation, which rapidly puts NATO equipment out of date. “They are evolving with the threats, and we are evolving defense, but not fast enough,” he said.
Bucharest will also ask NATO allies to discuss the incident and “the need to increase the deterrence and defense capabilities on the eastern flank,” Toiu said. That discussion will take place at a preplanned meeting of the alliance’s 32 ambassadors focused on maritime security “in the coming days,” she added.