Traian Basescu's harsh critics on the Russian drone: “a tiriplici that had to be shot down in the first minutes”/ as the former president did

Former President Traian Basescu argued, at Digi24, that the reaction of the Romanian authorities to the Russian drone's incursion into the airspace of our country shows powerless in front of the allies and the Russians. In addition, Basescu said that the Romanian army has cheaper alternatives for drone breaking than lifting aircraft with expensive armament.

“It proved to be powerless. Putin sends us a drone that walks 49 minds in the airspace, we raise F-16 aircraft then replace two Eurofighter for a drone that had to be shot down in the first minutes after it entered. The fact that we justify ourselves through collateral risks … It only puts the question for the allies, for the Russians, but especially for the population of Romania, the ability of the army to liquidate such risks ”, commented Traian Basescu on Saturday, when a Russian drone entered the Romanian airspace in Tulcea County.

The proposed alternative to hunting planes

The former head of the state said that Romania has, apart from the “cumbersome” F-16 aircraft, of cheaper alternatives to counteract the threats involved by the Russian drones, namely the self-propelled anti-aircraft guns, of German production. Each unit of this type is installed on a leopard tank chassis and has its own radar and two anti-aircraft guns, with a high firing cadence.

“I do not say that we have large units with Gepard, but we have a division of Gepard fighting machines that at least two or three could be located on the northern area of ​​Tulcea county, where drones from the Russians have entered. There are cars with a firing cadence of 500 minutes, made to hit it from 15 km. Drone is easy to hit with a Gepard unit.

“We run as bezmetics after the drone”

Basescu also criticized the way in which the command chain was managed during the response operation at the entrance of the Russian drone in Romania. Thus, the pilots had to receive a categorical order of the drone, without giving them the opportunity to evaluate themselves whether or not this is required.

“I doubt that the army has made a kind of union and says” it would be good to take it down, but if you say it is not good to give it … “What would such a discussion sound? You bring it down and finish the joke! ”, Said Traian Basescu.

He claims that a general record had to be given for such a situation so that the military knows clearly what a mission to accomplish. “We no longer have to pick up F-16, to put the Germans with their Eurofighter and run as bezmetics after the drone,” the former president appreciated.

Basescu states the incident is a demonstration that Romania “is not capable” to break down the drones, which is found by both allies and Russians.

“Even in Poland, the reaction was not great that out of 19 drones they broke about four, and those Dutch down, not the Poles, but it's too much. We have anti-aircraft artillery. We can use much more efficiently than the F-16 Gepard units intended for anti-aircraft fight (…) We, and the Poles until we face a drone attack ”, concluded Traian Basescu.

The explanations of the Minister of Defense

The Minister of Defense Ionuț Moșteanu said on Sunday that the decision not to break down the drone that entered the Romanian airspace on Saturday was taken by pilots, following the risk assessment in the area. The pilots had already received permission to break down the aircraft, but the fact that the drone flew at low altitude amplified the risk that the ammunition would also hit the ground level.

“We discussed with everyone involved, including one of the pilots. The pilots had the approval to bring down the target. We have a legal framework to be able to break down the drones promulgated by the president on May 19 (…) One month after I became a minister, I signed a minister order that I established that the order of the Opera can be taken by the command.”

The pilots of the two F-16 aircraft who took off for the drone's interception were permission to destroy the drone, but the decision remained at their discretion.

“The pilots had intermittent contact, saw it, but when they had direct contact, evaluated the collateral risks and decided not to break it. I trust their maturity,” said the Minister of Defense. He explained that a 20 mm caliber bullet pulled by the machine gun on the F-16 plane can travel a distance of 5 km, and the drone flew at low altitude, where there was a risk that the bullets will reach the ground at high speed.