The defence ministry and the advantages of the SAFE programme
Defence Minister Radu Miruţă announces signing of contract for the purchase of French Mistral missiles through the SAFE programme.
Roxana Vasile, 06.02.2026, 13:50
Defence minister Radu Miruţă has hailed the advantages that the European SAFE military equipment programme brings to Romania. Of the 21 projects undertaken, 11 are joint purchases with other states, translating into lower prices and faster delivery for products that were already provided for in the multi-annual equipment plan approved by the Country’s Supreme Defence Council and by Parliament. The minister said the projects included the joint purchase by several countries of French Mistral anti-aircraft missiles for which Romania has already signed a contract. At the moment, said Radu Miruţă, the state is preparing to launch offers to eligible companies for the 21 Romanian army equipment projects included in the SAFE programme.
“The European Commission has approved our individual projects, we have 21 projects within the big SAFE project. The economy ministry is now to issue a document stating the percentage of localisation required for each of these 21 projects. The government working group will then issue an order regarding the companies that meet the localisation and operating conditions under the law.ʺ
Among other things, the defence ministry would like the two patrol ships financed through the SAFE programme to be built at the Mangalia shipyard, on the Romanian Black Sea coast, which, in the minister’s opinion, is the only way to ensure its survival. The minister explains:
“In order to produce such ships, first there must be an order and someone to pay for it. And this is the arrangement that I identified, for the Romanian Army to contribute to saving the shipyard through some orders that the Romanian Army would pay for. That shipyard has, today, a liquidation value of 85 million and debts, which I must say are disputed, of 162 million, but are growing every month. Something worth 85 will not be able to be bought with 85, when you have debts of 162. Judging by these figures alone, the shipyard will not be able to survive. And I tried to put something together so that the difference would be covered by an order that would make the whole package more interesting. It is the largest shipyard in a EU member state. It’s a Black Sea shipyard on NATO’s eastern flank that has fantastic capacity and for which Romania would make a big mistake if it did not try to save, even in the 11th hour.”
The defence minister also explained that the funds allocated through the European SAFE programme are limited, which is why the Romanian Army has prioritised its projects. He also said that Romania is under pressure to spend these amounts in a very short time frame and that the government is trying to avoid price increases.
