Romania to acquire Israeli surveillance drones in USD 400 mln deal

A couple of years ago, Romania’s Defense Ministry concluded a USD 400 million deal with Israeli company Elbit for the development of seven Watchkeeper X systems, which will be used to detect Russian operations near the border areas. The drones will be delivered in a few months, according to the manufacturer, as reported by Digi24.

Each Watchkeeper X system consists of a command center, telecommunications systems, and three drones.

The aircraft will be built in Romania, but the first drones are currently being tested in Israel. They fly at an altitude of 1,000 meters and detect any target within a 200-kilometer radius. They are also equipped with a state-of-the-art camera which detects people from a distance of 4–5 kilometers.

The mission of the Watchkeeper X drones is primarily surveillance, but the aircraft can also be equipped with missiles if necessary. The drones can remain airborne for 16 hours without refueling and significantly assist troop coordination by providing real-time information on enemy forces.

The contract between Romania and Elbit was signed in 2023, but the delivery of the first drones was delayed due to the war between Israel and Hamas. At the beginning of the year, the Army approved a 6-month delay, which may still be exceeded, leading to penalties.

Company representatives say, however, that the first Watchkeeper X drones will be delivered in a few months and will become operational in mid-2026.

“We have opened several facilities. All delivered drones are produced in Romania, together with the control stations. The composite materials are made in Chitila, the aircraft is assembled in Bacău, and the ground control station is produced in Bucharest. After the system is delivered, maintenance will also be carried out in Romania,” Elbit representatives told Digi24.

The 7 Watchkeeper X systems will be distributed among all the General Staffs of the Romanian Army: 3 to the Land Forces, 3 to the Naval Forces, and one system to the Air Force. The drones can be used for at least 15 years, after which they will go through a modernization process.

The Watchkeeper X drone has not been tested in combat; however, its predecessor, the Watchkeeper model, proved to be of great assistance in the war in Afghanistan. The United Kingdom used the aircraft to locate insurgents and ensure the safe withdrawal of allied troops.