In January 1941, before Romania's entry into World War II on the side of Nazi Germany, Agarici was reassigned to the 53rd Fighter Squadron based at the Mamaia airfield (Northern Dobruja), which was tasked with defending the coastline, the port and city of Constanța, and the railroad to Bucharest. The squadron was equipped with the Hawker Hurricanes delivered the year before, because their engines were deemed more reliable than those of the German Heinkel He 112 and Messerschmitt Bf 109 (which were issued to other fighter squadrons, based inland), and therefore considered more suitable for air combat at sea.