MoD: Seven F-18 Hornet aircraft and 180 Spanish soldiers arrive at Borcea Air Base for Air Policing missions

The Ministry of National Defense announced on Friday the arrival of seven F-18M Hornet aircraft, three NH-90 helicopters, and 180 military personnel from the Spanish Air and Space Forces at Air Base 86 Borcea, who will take over the Air Policing missions from the Italian and British detachments.

This rotation is part of NATO's airspace defense program, aimed at strengthening the deterrence posture on the Eastern Flank. The transfer of authority ceremony took place on Friday, marking Spain's fourth participation in Romania, following missions in 2021, 2024, and February 2026. The Spanish detachment will carry out missions until the end of November, replacing the "Carpathian Vipers" detachment from Romania, which has completed its mission in Lithuania.

NATO's Air Policing missions have a defensive nature, serving to protect the integrity of allied airspace and to ensure a rapid response in case of necessity, according to the Ministry of National Defense.