Second interception by the Italian Air Force in one month
Two Italian Eurofighter jets assigned to NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission shot down an unidentified drone during the night after it entered Lithuanian airspace without authorization.
According to the Lithuanian Armed Forces, the F-2000 fighter jets scrambled shortly after midnight from Šiauliai Air Base in northern Lithuania to intercept the unmanned aircraft.
“The Italian crews intercepted the unmanned aircraft, neutralizing it in compliance with the operational procedures established by the Alliance,” Italy’s Ministry of Defense said on X.
Similar incident reported in August
The incident marks the second such operation by the Italian Air Force within 30 days.
On August 14, Italian aircraft participating in NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission also scrambled from Šiauliai and shot down another unidentified drone that had violated Latvian airspace, according to the Italian Ministry of Defense.
Lithuanian authorities have not officially attributed the latest incursion to a specific country. However, available reports indicate that the drone may have entered Lithuanian airspace from the direction of Belarus.
Defense Minister Robertas Kaunas confirmed that the aircraft was carrying an explosive device.
Cost of interception raises further concerns
It remains unclear what weapon system the Italian pilots used to destroy the drone. The incident has nevertheless renewed concerns about the cost of using fighter aircraft and sophisticated missiles against relatively inexpensive unmanned systems.
On August 21, the U.S. State Department approved a possible $364 million Foreign Military Sale to Italy involving 5,031 Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System II (APKWS II) guidance kits and related equipment manufactured by BAE Systems.
No final contract has been announced so far. The APKWS II system could provide Italian pilots with a cheaper option for engaging small drones than using considerably more expensive air-to-air missiles such as the AIM-120 AMRAAM.
In May, the UK Ministry of Defense announced that it had integrated APKWS onto the Eurofighter and was using the system in Middle East operations against low-cost drones.
Fighter-jet interceptions are not a sustainable solution
At an Air & Space Forces Association roundtable, U.S. Air Forces in Europe Lt. Gen. Jason Hinds said that some countries currently have only short-range air-defense systems capable of countering one-way attack drones and cruise missiles.
He referred to areas near Romania and parts of the Baltic region, warning that using fighter aircraft to intercept drones does not always place the defense effort “on the right side of the cost curve.”
Series of incidents fuels European concerns
In December, the Lithuanian government declared a state of emergency after a significant increase in balloon and drone incursions, many of which originated from neighboring Belarus.
The BBC, citing unnamed officials, reported that in 2025 approximately 600 balloons linked to smuggling activity and nearly 200 drones crossed into the airspace around Vilnius.
The latest interception comes amid a series of suspicious incidents across Europe. Several European officials have accused Russia of deliberate provocations, while the Kremlin has rejected the allegations as baseless.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen referred to the drone incursion while condemning what she described as Russia’s “reckless and dangerous” behavior.
“These are not isolated incidents. They are part of a broader pattern of Russian aggression and provocation against Europe, testing our readiness and our resolve,” von der Leyen said.
