Romania has signed a purchase agreement with France’s Directorate General of Armaments (DGA) for 12 Airbus H225M multi-role helicopters. Valued at approximately €757 million ($847 million), the procurement is financed through the European Union’s Security Action for Europe (SAFE) program and includes an initial logistics support package and crew training.
The helicopters will partially replace Romania’s aging IAR-330 Puma fleet, which supports conventional military missions and special operations. The H225Ms will be configured for ground-attack missions and equipped to perform a range of operational tasks, including attack, reconnaissance, surveillance, tactical protection, and specialized airborne assault missions during both day and night.
EU SAFE Funding Supports Romania’s Defence Modernization
The helicopter procurement marks Romania’s second project approved under the European Commission’s SAFE defence financing initiative. The country’s first approved project involves the acquisition of 12 Thales Ground Master 200 MM/A air-surveillance radars, valued at approximately €247 million ($277 million).
Part of Thales’ Ground Master radar family, the GM200 MM/A is a four-dimensional active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar designed to detect and track a range of aerial threats, including drones, aircraft, and missiles, at distances of up to 350 kilometres (217 miles).
As part of the radar procurement, Thales will establish a Radar Competence Centre in Romania to develop domestic industrial capabilities and strengthen the country’s expertise in radar technologies. Delivery of the first radar system is expected in 2027.
Together, the helicopter and radar acquisitions represent a significant step in Romania’s military modernization efforts, strengthening its rotary-wing operational capabilities, air-surveillance infrastructure, and domestic defence-industrial expertise through EU-backed funding.
