Romania announces €1 billion radar and helicopter purchases

Romania's defence ministry announced on Friday deals worth one billion euros, or about $1.1 billion, to buy helicopters from Airbus and air surveillance radars from Thales.

The ministry said the purchases include 12 multi-mission helicopters from Airbus for 757 million euros and 12 Thales air surveillance radars valued at 247 million euros. The Airbus deal covers 12 H225M Caracal helicopters, while Thales is to supply 12 Ground Master 200 MM/A radars.

Defence Minister Radu Miruta said the first radar, which he said was needed to deal with low-altitude drones, is due to be delivered within 11 months. The helicopters and radar units are to be delivered by 2030.

Romania, a NATO member in eastern Europe, has been seeking to modernise its army, especially its air defences, after dozens of airspace breaches and drone crashes since the start of the war in neighbouring Ukraine. The modernisation effort comes as Europe seeks to re-arm after Russia's invasion of Ukraine and amid doubts over the United States' commitment to European security under US President Donald Trump.

The deal falls under the European Union's SAFE, or Security Action for Europe, lending initiative, which helps EU members re-arm with loans at lower rates. Miruta said Romania plans to buy a total of 2.2 billion euros' worth of anti-drone systems through the SAFE programme.

A defence source told AFP the two contracts were expected to generate hundreds of jobs in Romania. Miruta said defences in Romania's Dobrogea region, on the Black Sea, were also for NATO airspace.

In the most serious drone incident cited by the report, two people were wounded in May when an unmanned vehicle hit an apartment building. Romania identified the drone as Russian, while Moscow said there was no evidence.