Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems has secured a significant €1.9 billion ($2.23 billion) contract for Romania’s Very Short and Short Range Air Defense (V/SHORAD) acquisition program. This decisive win comes from the Romanian Ministry of National Defence, following a competitive bidding process conducted by the Directorate General for Armaments within the ministry.
In a statement released by the Romanian government, it was confirmed that the award procedure concluded without any appeals from the other participants. The ministry noted that the next step involves finalizing the agreement with Rafael, the designated economic operator, through the signing of a framework contract.
The overarching procurement initiative received parliamentary approval back in 2020, but the selection process only commenced this year. Local reports indicated that Rafael emerged as the sole competitor after MBDA and Diehl Defence were eliminated from contention. South Korea’s LIG Nex1 was eliminated at an earlier stage in the process.
Although the specifics of the system have not been officially announced, reports suggest that Rafael proposed its Spyder short- and medium-range mobile air defense system. This advanced system employs Rafael’s Python-5 and Derby missiles, which boast intercept ranges of 40 kilometers (25 miles) and 80 kilometers (50 miles), respectively.
This contract represents a significant achievement for Rafael, marking it as the second largest deal for an Israeli defense firm, following the more than $4 billion sale of the Arrow 3 air defense system to Germany. The acquisition aims to replace Romania’s outdated Hawk air defense system, while also complementing the country’s existing long-range Patriot air defense capabilities.
To facilitate the procurement of this advanced defense system, the Romanian government is considering utilizing various European funding avenues, including the Act in Support of Ammunition Production and the European Defence Industry Reinforcement Through Common Procurement Act. The finalization of the contract is anticipated in the near future, with initial deliveries expected to follow shortly after the agreement is signed.
