Romania’s Ministry of Defense, through its General Directorate for Armaments, announced that it signed a contract on Tuesday, October 27, for four mobile approach and landing radar systems. The contract was awarded to a consortium comprising Thales Romania and Thales LAS France.
According to the ministry, the contract is worth approximately RON 326.5 million, excluding VAT, and deliveries will take place in stages beginning in 2028.
The Romanian ministry said the new systems would modernize the Romanian Air Force’s air traffic control capabilities by identifying and tracking aircraft and guiding them during approach and landing. They will be able to operate in difficult weather conditions and a hostile electromagnetic environment.
The radars can be used for military and civilian aircraft, during both daytime and nighttime operations. They will also transmit information to Romanian and NATO air command-and-control systems.
“The mobile nature of the systems will allow them to be used at alternative locations, reducing dependence on fixed airbase infrastructure and helping increase operational flexibility and resilience,” the Defense Ministry explained.
Thales said the four deployable Ground Controlled Approach Radar Systems would be delivered to four Romanian Air Force locations by 2030. They will provide national and NATO command-and-control systems with real-time target data around the clock and in all weather conditions.
The package will include STAR NG primary surveillance radars, RSM NG/IFF secondary surveillance and aircraft identification systems, and four Precision Approach Radars.
According to Thales, the STAR NG radar provides approach-control coverage of up to 60 nautical miles for military and civilian operations. The RSM NG/IFF combines NATO Mode 5 and EUROCONTROL Mode S interrogation with ADS-B detection, while the precision approach radars support aircraft during approach and landing in difficult weather and low visibility.
“We are honored by the trust placed in Thales by the Romanian government. By choosing our deployable dual-use radars, Romania will be able to rely on the robustness and reliability of our global military air traffic control solutions and count on our commitment to supporting its efforts to enhance its airspace and its interoperability with NATO,” said Lionel de Castellane, Thales’ vice president for air traffic and coastal radars.
The Romanian Defense Ministry said Thales Romania specialists would work with local partners on the installation, integration, and long-term availability of the systems. It added that the acquisition forms part of programs to modernize the Romanian Air Force and improve its ability to conduct missions, including in an allied context.
Thales has operated in Romania for more than 20 years across defense, aeronautics, space, digital identity, and cybersecurity. Its Engineering Competence Center in Bucharest, established in 2019, employs nearly 1,000 engineers working on software development, system integration, operations, maintenance, and training for international programs.
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