Romania’s intelligence services earmark EUR 160 mln for six helicopters

The Military Unit 0991 Bucharest, the transport division of the Romanian Intelligence Service (SRI), wants to buy up to six multi-role helicopters, mainly for anti-terrorist and rescue interventions, Economedia.ro reported.

It has launched a public tender and earmarked EUR 80 mln to EUR 160 mln for the deal.

The institution envisages the purchase of a maximum of 6 and a minimum of 3 medium / heavy multifunctional helicopters.

The bids are expected until July 4, and the selection will be based on the price, the maximum flight distance, the number of passengers, the maximum flight altitude, the fuel consumption and the guarantee extended by the supplier.

The largest players in the Euro-Atlantic area supplying helicopters of this type would be Bell and Lockheed Martin, from the US, and Airbus, a transnational European company, based in France. Airbus also has a local production unit in Ghimbav.

Last year, in November, Romania signed with Lockheed Martin a framework agreement of EUR 269 mln to purchase 12 medium / heavy Black Hawk helicopters for the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations (IGSU). The financing is provided from European funds, and the helicopters are manufactured in Poland at a price of about EUR 22 mln per unit.

(Photo: Bjornforenius | Dreamstime.com)