Romania to buy Israeli air defense systems for nearly $2.3 billion
Since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, Romania has gained in strategic importance and exposure to defense risks, with Russian drone fragments regularly falling on its soil.
Under a framework agreement signed with Israeli defense company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems last week, Romania is set to purchase six integrated Shorad-Vshorad anti-aircraft systems for more than two billion euros ($2.3 billion).
Israel's Iron Dome air defense system is one of Rafael's best-known products.
According to the deal, three further contracts will need to be signed under the framework agreement, which runs for seven years.
The procurement deal, which was rubber-stamped by Romania's parliament in 2020, 'aims to equip the army with advanced weapon systems designed to protect against air threats, including drones and cruise missiles,' the eastern European country's defense ministry said in a statement.
In a recent interview on public television, Defense Minister Ionut Mosteanu likened the anti-aircraft systems to 'the Iron Dome... when the Iranians attack,' saying 'that's Shorad-Vshorad and it protects Tel Aviv.'
In 2024, Romania signed a deal with the United States to purchase 32 F-35 fighter jets for an estimated $6.5 billion.
The Black Sea nation has been striving for years to bolster its defense forces and replace its aging Soviet-era equipment.
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