In a regional context marked by the intensification of aerial threats, especially drones, and by accelerated investments in defense technologies, the Romanian company Optoelectronica presented a series of advanced solutions dedicated to counter-drone operations and the protection of critical infrastructure at Black Sea Defence Aerospace (BSDA) 2026.
Displayed at the company’s stand for the first time in Romania were components of the integrated SkyDome system, including “the anti-drone laser component,” as specified by the company’s president, Adrian Stoica.
In an interview with CaleaEuropeană.ro, Adrian Stoica underlined that one of the most advanced technologies presented at BSDA is the D-FEND ENFORCEAIR system, which he says “has a unique advantage: it takes control of unmanned aerial vehicles.” He explained that the solution allows drones to be neutralized without destroying them: “I become the pilot and can control the drone, land it, and even send it back to where it came from.”
The president of Optoelectronica also highlighted the development of industrial cooperation in Romania for the production of the SKYLOCK system, designed specifically to counter Shahed drones.
“This system is set to be produced in Romania in a proportion of over 65%, in Măgurele, at our main production center,” Adrian Stoica stated.
He also referred to the exercises conducted at Capu Midia and organized by the Ministry of National Defence together with NATO structures, emphasizing the importance of testing anti-drone systems under real operational conditions and the growing interest of allies in the solutions developed in Romania. According to him, the presentation of these technologies at NATO headquarters in Brussels generated “the interest with which our solutions were received,” and the company was invited to register its capabilities on NATO’s procurement platform.
FULL INTERVIEW
CaleaEuropeană.ro: We are present at Black Sea Defence Aerospace (BSDA) 2026, the largest defense technology and armaments exhibition in our part of Europe, right here in Bucharest. Joining us is the president of Optoelectronica 2001, a company with 25 years of tradition in research, innovation, and production in the military field. Mr. Adrian Stoica, good afternoon, thank you for this interview and for welcoming us to your stand.
Adrian Stoica: Good afternoon, thank you, and welcome. On the occasion of this year’s BSDA edition, I would like to invite you to inspect and observe the complete SkyDome solution, presented for the first time in Romania. We have also brought the anti-drone laser component.
CaleaEuropeană.ro: We are currently living in a context in which everyone is searching for as many technologies and solutions as possible for air defense and defense in general. What solutions are you presenting here at BSDA in such a complicated security environment, and what feedback have you received from international partners as well as from the Romanian state?
Adrian Stoica: I would like to begin with the D-FEND ENFORCEAIR system, located to my right, which has a unique advantage worldwide: it takes control of unmanned aerial vehicles. At this moment, it is the most advanced technology in the field of counter-drone operations. It interacts with the aircraft without the need to destroy it. In practical terms, this means that I become the pilot and can control the drone, land it, and even send it back to where it came from.
CaleaEuropeană.ro: What other systems are you presenting? We can see behind you a system called SKYLOCK.
Adrian Stoica: That is a military product specifically designed to counter Shahed drones. It is currently being used in more than 20 countries. We have it in Romania through industrial cooperation with our partners from Israel, the company Skylock. This system is set to be produced in Romania in a proportion of over 65%, in Măgurele, at our main production center.
CaleaEuropeană.ro: You recently presented advanced anti-drone solutions developed in Romania at NATO headquarters during a Romanian defense industry day. What feedback did you receive from the allies and from the Romanian state?
Adrian Stoica: We were pleased by the audience we received and by the interest with which our solutions were welcomed at NATO headquarters in Brussels. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte was present and reviewed information about our products through the brochures made available there. We were invited to register our capabilities on NATO’s procurement platform.
CaleaEuropeană.ro: In Romania, a military exercise took place jointly organized by the Ministry of National Defence and NATO’s Allied Command Transformation at the Capu Midia training range, where companies from the defense industry presented their solutions for countering drone threats. Your system was tested during that NATO exercise. What were the main lessons learned and what operational validations did you obtain?
Adrian Stoica: We were among the participants in the Capu Midia exercise on April 14. I would like to proudly point out that the solution proposed by Optoelectronica ranked first. We obtained the highest score and managed to take down all the assigned targets, including second-class military drones of the Shahed type. Most of them crashed into the Black Sea, while the others could no longer be recovered. That is why we intervened against them using the solution located behind me, an extremely high-performance system capable of neutralizing Shahed-type drones through non-kinetic measures.
CaleaEuropeană.ro: Many of those attending BSDA are looking toward the May 31, 2026 deadline, when Romania must publish the final list of projects financed through SAFE. We are the country with the second-largest allocation, worth over €16 billion, and from publicly available information we know that you are among the companies that applied with your solutions. What are the main competitive advantages of the solutions developed by Optoelectronica compared to other systems currently available on the market?
Adrian Stoica: The solution proposed by us to the Romanian Government is made up of the most advanced technologies currently available worldwide. More than 65% of these, as I mentioned earlier, will be produced in Măgurele, Romania. New jobs will be created and we will bring cutting-edge technology to our country. We would also like to thank the representatives of the Romanian Government for inviting us to participate in these procedures. We responded within the required deadline and we are eagerly awaiting the results of this competition.
CaleaEuropeană.ro: Mr. Adrian Stoica, president of Optoelectronica, thank you for this interview conducted at your stand at Black Sea Defence Aerospace 2026.
Adrian Stoica: Thank you as well.
