We need a modern naval force if we
\nare to consolidate Romania’s strategic position in the Black Sea. 2018 will be
\nthe starting point for achieving this goal, Mihai Fifor said last week. The
\nRomanian Defense Minister visited three strategic sites in the Black Sea: the
\n39 Diving Center in Constanta, the 256 Helicopter unit in Tuzla and the missile
\ncarriers and corvettes in the military port of Mangalia. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Minister Fifor has
\nstated that the year 2018 will be devoted to modernizing the Romanian Naval
\nForces, also recalling that Wednesday’s Government session will also occasion a
\npresentation of a project concerning the purchase of four multi-purpose
\ncorvettes. The deal could go through by the end of the year, and the corvettes
\nwill be manufactured in a shipyard in Romania. Bucharest authorities have also
\npledged to refurbish the King Ferdinand and Queen Maria frigates.
\nMihai Fifor has also said that Romania plans on building three submarines in
\nits shipyards, although this is a mid- to long-term project. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Mihai Fifor: I know this looks very ambitious, but I’m
\ntelling you this project is completely feasible. We can build them in a
\nRomanian shipyard, and the same goes for any other type of ship.<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Romania currently owns one
\nsubmarine, built in the former Soviet Union, which was last used in 1996.
\nMinister Fifor has pointed out that a non-negotiable and essential condition is
\nfor these state-of-the-art products to be manufactured in Romania, so as to
\nchannel major investments into Romania’s national defense industry. Also this
\nyear, the Army plans to equip the Romanian navy with anti-ship missile defense
\nsystems. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
We’ve identified the financial resources and we’ll be able to get
\nthis program started, so that by the end of the year we can finalize our
\ncoastal artillery program as well. We want our army to play a key role in the
\nregion, Minister Mihai Fifor said. At the same time, the Romanian official
\npledged to support the plans for expanding the Mihail Kogalniceanu airbase.
\nMinister Fifor wants a permanent American military presence in Romania, just
\nlike in Poland. In turn, Vice-Admiral Alexandru Mirsu, the chief of the
\nRomanian Naval Forces military staff said Romania needed a strong and
\nwell-equipped navy, considering Russia’s increased military presence in the
\nBlack Sea. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
2018 will be devoted to modernizing the Romanian Naval Forces, Romania’s Defense Minister Mihai Fifor has announced<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":108,"featured_media":76368,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[37738],"tags":[39195,32587,39196],"coauthors":[],"class_list":["post-76367","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-today-in-the-news","tag-romanian-army-equipment","tag-romanian-defense-minister-mihai-fifor","tag-vice-admiral-alexandru-mirsu"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n