New purchases for the army
The Defense Ministry continues its efforts to increase Romania's defense capacity.
Daniela Budu, 01.10.2025, 14:00
The Defense Ministry in Bucharest has requested Parliament’s approval to purchase over 200 state-of-the-art tanks, which will be produced in Romania. In addition, the Army is expected to purchase dozens of related vehicles and machine guns by 2040. Overall, Bucharest will pay over 7 billion USD to renew the Army’s equipment, in the context in which Russia is constantly testing the military capabilities of NATO members. According to a press release from the line ministry, the goal is to increase the operational capacity of the Army, in order to be able to fulfill both the country’s defense missions and international commitments. We recall that Romania signed a first contract in 2023 for the purchase of 54 Abrams tanks from the US Army for just over 1 billion USD, with full delivery to be completed in 2028. Romania, which has a 650 km border with Ukraine, currently hosts a US ballistic missile defense system and a permanent NATO battle group. Drones have repeatedly violated its airspace since Russia started attacking Ukrainian ports and infrastructure across the Danube. Recently, EU Commissioner for Defense, Andrius Kubilius, said that the countries on the Eastern Flank of the European Union, including Romania, agreed on the need for a “drone wall” with advanced detection, tracking and interception capabilities.
On the other hand, during a visit to Luxembourg, where he discussed concrete projects that can strengthen the Romanian Defense industry, Defense Minister Ionuţ Moşteanu stated that Romania needs strong partnerships, investments in technology and constant dialogue with allies. And in Poland, at the recent Warsaw Security Forum, which brought together over 2,100 participants from over 80 countries, Minister Moșteanu said that “if we want a secure Europe, the Eastern Flank must be strong”. The Minister discussed with counterparts from NATO states, with the NATO Deputy Secretary General and with industry partners about ways to respond more effectively to Russia’s challenges and about facilitating investments in the defense industry, which, Ionuţ Moşteanu says, not only bring more security, but also jobs and contribute to economic development. In the face of increasingly frequent Russian incursions with drones and aircraft into European airspace, “the Eastern Flank must be strengthened, from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea”, the Minister said.
In this context, it should also be noted that over October 20 – November 13, the Dacian Fall 2025 military exercise will take place in Romania and Bulgaria, a large-scale defensive exercise aimed at strengthening the Alliance’s security in Eastern Europe. Convoys of military equipment, including NATO tanks, have already entered the country. Over 5,000 soldiers from 10 NATO states will take part in the exercise hosted by the two countries. (VP)
