Romania orders first three tactical drones from Israeli company

The Romanian authorities have ordered the first three Watchkeeper X drones out of the seven such tactical systems that will be acquired from the Israeli company Elbit Systems, as part of a RON 1.9 bln (EUR 382.7 mln) agreement signed at the end of last year.

The procurement order for the first three Watchkeeper X drones, worth USD 180 mln, will be executed over a period of two years, Profit.ro reported.

In December 2022, the Ministry of National Defense, through the company Romtehnica, signed a framework agreement with Elbit Systems for the acquisition of up to seven tactical unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) Watchkeeper X.

According to the agreement, Elbit Systems "is obliged to establish and consolidate, on the national territory, within defense industry operators, a production, integration, testing, and maintenance capability in the military field for the delivered systems," according to the Ministry of National Defense (MApN).

Starting with the first Watchkeeper X UAS system, the production of the aerial platform structure and the production of the ground command and control station container structure, as well as the production of electrical and mechanical components of the system, will be carried out in Romanian territory by defense industry operators. Furthermore, starting with the third Watchkeeper X UAS system, the production of all electrical and mechanical systems components will be carried out in Romania.

Additionally, complex level maintenance operations throughout the lifecycle of the Watchkeeper X UAS systems will be performed by defense industry operators, "so that in crisis and wartime situations it will not be necessary to carry out these operations outside the national territory."

The framework agreement has a duration of five years.

(Photo source: Elbitsystems.com)