The Ministry of National Defense announced on Monday that it has signed a contract with Rafael for the purchase of 18 anti -aircraft systems for short and very short distances. The value of the contract for the Sapyder systems is 2 billion euros.
Romania signed the contract with Rafael for the purchase of Spyder systems. Photo Defense Military
“The Ministry of National Defense-the General Directorate for Armaments, through CN Romtehnica SA, and the Israeli company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems LTD signed on Friday, July 18, the Framework Agreement on the acquisition of the Shorad-Vshorad anti-aircraft systems.”, Mention in the MApN statement. The framework agreement provides for the signing of three subsequent contracts, through which six SHORAD-VSHORAD integrated anti-aircraft systems will be purchased, a training and education system, a simulation system for verifying and evaluating Vshorad operators, six Shorad systems and six Vshorad systems, including training, training and logistics.
According to the MApN, the value of the purchase is 10.33 billion lei without VAT, ie about 2,038 billion euros without VAT.
The framework agreement will be carried out for a period of 7 years, the first 2 Vshorad systems to be delivered within 3 years from the signing of the first subsequent contract.
The endowment program “Integrated System of Shorad-Vshorad weapons” aims to equip the army with advanced armament systems, intended for protection against air threats, including cruise drones and missiles.
Shorad-Vshorad systems are an optimal combination of mobility, efficiency and integration into modern defensive networks, being compatible with NATO requirements.
The acquisition, for which the prior approval of the Romanian Parliament was obtained, according to the specific legislation (CPUL.ro/bp/docs/f199034533/imG05202016.pdf), was a competitive type (limited auction), including the condition of the purchase from the international level, with the obligation of the integration in the national industry through the national industry through the national industry through and industrial.
The procedure was published in SEAP and Joua (Official Journal of the European Union), in November 2023.
After communicating the result of the procedure to the participants and passing the legal waiting term for signing the framework agreement, in accordance with art. 59 of Law 101/2016, the signature procedures with the winning economic operator, respectively with Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd, were started.
Romania's spyder systems will also use Polish missiles
The Israelis of Rafa won the MAPN auction with the Spyder system, but not the all-in-one variant as previously speculated, but with a personalized one to meet the Romtehnica requirements, with dedicated vehicles, the command center, the radar unit and the related elements.
The radar within the system will be one made by Leonardo, and the rockets used will be of three types, two of Rafael, and one from Poland that was noted in the field in the Ukraine.
Thus, for very short radius defense up to 15 km the Spyder systems of Romania will use Polish rockets and Israeli rockets Python 5 (both with infrared guidance). For short radius, the system will use derby missiles (radar guide) on average between 20 or 50 kilometers.
For Romania the Spyder system as an anti -aircraft defense variant Vshorad/Shorad would replace the old Soviet systems that are still in use, but gradually, the older defense systems with American Hawk missiles.
