The Supreme Council of National Defence of Romania supported a plan to increase the number of small warships in its fleet to strengthen its position in the Black Sea and on NATO's eastern flank. This is reported by the Reuters news agency, reports UNN.
Details
It is noted that in 2023, Romania cancelled an agreement with the French company Naval Group. This company had a contract to build four Gowind-class naval corvettes for Romania, as well as to modernise two frigates for EUR 1.2 billion.
However, the agreement was initially delayed due to legal issues. Another reason was the failure to reach an understanding with its junior partner on rising costs.
The Council members analysed and approved the equipping of the Romanian Navy with a new warship, a light corvette, capable of performing a multitude of missions in the shortest possible time
According to the news agency, the Romanian Navy is the least modernised of all branches of the armed forces. The country now says it plans to increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP in 2024, up from the current 2.2%.
Recall
Romania and Bulgaria fear that an agreement between the US and Russia could restore Moscow's influence in the Black Sea. The talks concern the safety of navigation and exports.