Romania Contracts Thales for Four Mobile Ground-Controlled Approach Radar Systems

Romanian Ministry of National Defence Acquires New Radar Systems

The Romanian Ministry of National Defence (MND) announced the signing of a procurement contract with Thales for four mobile approach and landing radar systems. According to official announcements, the agreement is valued at approximately RON326.5 million, which equates to about USD67.95 million.

The contract was finalized by the Romanian MND's General Directorate for Armaments. The industrial execution involves both Thales Romania and Thales LAS France.

Delivery Timeline and Deployment

The acquisition plan outlines staged deliveries to four designated Romanian Air Force locations. The delivery schedule is set to begin in 2028 and conclude by 2030.

Key deployment features reported by officials include:

• Mobile Configuration: The deployable nature of the systems is intended to reduce reliance on fixed air base infrastructure.
• Operational Flexibility: Equipment can be relocated to alternative operational sites as required.
• All-Weather Capability: Designed to operate continuously under various weather conditions.

Technical Capabilities and Integration

Official releases from Thales and the Romanian MND highlighted several technical specifications and operational roles for the new platforms:

• Target Data Sharing: The primary and secondary radars will feed target information into national and NATO command and control (C2) systems on a continuous basis.
• Approach Guidance: Systems will assist in guiding aircraft during approach and landing phases, including operations within hostile electromagnetic environments.
• System Components: Thales identified the integrated technologies as including the STAR NG (Solid-state Approach Radar – Next Generation) primary surveillance radar, the RSM NG monopulse secondary surveillance radar with identification friend or foe (IFF) capabilities, and four Precision Approach Radars (PARs).

Verification and Further Information

Observers seeking to verify the details of this procurement can consult official publications from the Romanian Ministry of National Defence or public announcements issued directly by Thales. Publicly available defense intelligence registers and official defense procurement portals provide further context on defense modernization initiatives in the region.