Following this
\nyear’s increase in defence spending to 2% of the GDP, the Romanian government
\nunveiled a project providing for the manufacturing of corvettes in Romania as
\npart of its ongoing army equipping programme. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
The government
\nrepealed an order by the previous government led by Dacian Ciolos that provided
\nfor the purchase of military vessels from abroad and decided instead to build
\nthem at a local naval shipyard, said the defence minister Gabriel Les. He said
\nthe previous order was not in keeping with the law, which requires Parliament’s
\napproval for investments in excess of 100 million euros. The minister went on
\nto say that the army equipping programme will be resumed, this time in keeping
\nwith the law, and that a memorandum will be sent to Parliament on plans to have
\nthe corvettes manufactured entirely in Romania. The defence minister Gabriel
\nLes:<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
The integration
\nof these products will be made in Romania at a local shipyard. I hope we will
\nhave a contract in this respect signed in 6 or 7 months’ time.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
The defence
\nminister says Romania also plans to purchase at least 20 F16 multirole planes
\nto add to the Air Force’s squadron:<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
We want to
\npurchase at least 20 F16 planes which we plan to revitalise. We will work with
\nParliament in respect of multiannual funding and multiannual contracts, which
\nwe would very much like to achieve, given that we have committed politically to
\nallocate 2% of the GDP to defence spending. We would like the Romanian industry
\nto be involved as much as possible, both the private and state sector.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
The first
\nsquadron of F16 planes has been almost entirely delivered, with the remaining
\nthree planes due to arrive soon. In 2013, Romania decided to purchase 12 used
\nF16 planes from Portugal for 628 million euros. Although this type of aircraft
\nwas first launched 40 years ago, the planes themselves have since been
\nmodernised and equipped with the latest technology and software specifications.
\nThe planes bought by Romania are thus able to interact with those used by the
\nother NATO states. The planes are currently stationed at the air bases in
\nFetesti, in the south-east, and Campia Turzii, in the centre, which have
\nthemselves been modernised to accommodate this type of aircraft. In the
\nexperts’ opinion, Romania needs 48 multirole planes, that is at least 4
\nsquadrons. <\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The defence ministry is to purchase corvettes manufactured in Romania, as well as 20 F16 airplanes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":106,"featured_media":72650,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[37738],"tags":[38881,116464],"coauthors":[],"class_list":["post-72649","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-today-in-the-news","tag-army-equipping","tag-romania-en"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n