July, 2022: strategic multilateral and multidisciplinary agenda between French and Romanian experts in Paris, at CERBAIR www.cerbair.com Headquarters.
With the participation of DEFENCE UNLIMITED www.defenceunlimited.com
Military relations with France have been strengthened recently, after France pledged to be the framework nation setting up a NATO Battle Group in Cincu, Brasov County, where there are already 500 French soldiers. Another 100 French soldiers are protecting the airspace above Dobrogea with an Mamba anti-aircraft system.
Scorpene Class Submarine.
The Ministry of National Defense originally wanted American Bell helicopters.
According to the Minister of Defense, the Romanian Army will most likely purchase Airbus helicopters for the Naval Forces, for the four corvettes. However, the other categories of forces also need helicopters. Romania is among the few countries that does not have helicopters equipped with Land Forces and no attack helicopters.
In 2018, the Ministry of National Defense was close to signing a contract for the acquisition, from the American company Bell, of 21 middle class helicopters and 24 assault helicopters, for the Land Forces. These were the AH-1Z Viper and UH-1Y Venom helicopters, which were to be built, first in the USA, and later at IAR Brasov. In the meantime, they announced their intention to equip us with helicopters and the Airbus companies from France, but also the Americans from Lockheed Martin / Sikorsky who have a production branch in Poland. Romania is among the few countries in the region that does not have dedicated attack helicopters.
The Romanian army will be equipped with submarines and combat helicopters from France, according to the institution’s acquisition plan, announced the Romanian Minister of Defense, Vasile Dîncu.
„I signed a letter of intent with the French Minister of Defense for a future project and I started the steps to bring the new endowment components to the Parliament. These are Scorpene submarines and helicopters. It is a letter of intent made with the French government and we want to implement this project. We have learned the lessons about what is happening now in Ukraine and that is why we want to see in the next period if the initial programming of the Army 2040 endowment project, a project that passed two years ago by the Supreme Council of National Defense, still meets the requirements. current or not „, Vasile Dîncu stated in an interview for DCNews.
The military ties between Romania and France strengthened significantly after Paris decided to be a framework nation in the NATO Combat Group in Romania. France brought to Romania almost a thousand soldiers, as well as the Mamba anti-aircraft system, amid Romania’s need to ensure security.
The Romanian Minister of Defense also said that the Romanian Army will focus on shorter deadlines for arms purchases in the context of major security threats in the region.
„We must keep in mind that this war has created a very strong competitive market, but also a lack of products on the arms market. In order to be able to order in aviation or in the naval area, there are now terms of 5-7 years to bring something significant. We have some endowment programs underway. Ten programs that are currently in operation or in various stages – such as electronic warfare programs, command systems, drones, but it is clear that we need, beyond legislative harassment and bureaucracy, a much clearer system and faster „, specified Minister Dîncu.
The Minister of Defense said that the procurement strategy will also take into account the bringing to Romania of „offsets”, so that the ordered weapons will be produced in Romania.
“The best offset is when we manage to bring investors from abroad and produce at home; that is the line of the future. Recently, a memorandum was signed for SkyCeptor missiles integrated in Patriot systems, missiles that are cheaper, but which we hope to produce in Ploieşti. We already produce in Romania the Piranha V armored transporters, the Iveco self-platforms. There is the Israeli company Elbit Systems, which produces in Romania a lot of anti-aircraft systems and exports a lot of what it produces here. A big advantage we have is that Israel and other neighboring states want to produce here. We talked with neighboring countries on the Eastern Flank to conclude G2G contracts, through which to sell them military products made in our country, because I believe that we can be suppliers of equipment and military equipment in this region „, said Dîncu.
In the regional security context, Romania has announced that it will increase its military endowment allocations to 2.5% of GDP, which would equate to an annual allocation of about $ 6.2 billion.
he French company Airbus offered H215M, medium-heavy multirole, and H145M, for Romanian Army’s attack missions.
Airbus Helicopters and IAR signed an Industrial Cooperation Agreement in the spring of this year for the production of helicopters in Romania. The French company proposes to Romania the H215M helicopters, medium-heavy multirole, and H145M, for attack missions.
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