Spyder vs Iron Dome. What anti -aircraft shield, Romania actually buys with 2 billion euros. The confusion of the Minister of Defense
The Minister of Defense, Ionuț Mosteanu, announced that Romania will purchase the Iron Dome anti -aircraft defense system, developed by Israel. In reality this is the Spyder system. General (r) Virgil Bălăceanu explains why this anti -aircraft system was chosen and how strong.
The Spyder system has high efficiency. Photo: Rafael.co.il
The Ministry of National Defense announced on Monday, July 21, the signing of a framework agreement with the Israeli company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems LTD for the acquisition of anti-aircraft systems Shorad-Vshorad. The new system is called Spyder, and the value of the contract is over two billion euros (2,038 billion euros without VAT).
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.
Super weapon taken by Romania with 2 billion euros
The Framework Agreement provides for the signing of three subsequent contracts, through which six SHORAD-VSHORAD's integrated anti-aircraft systems, a system of training and education, a simulation system for verifying and evaluating VSHORAD operators, six Shorad systems and six Vshorad systems, including ammunition, training and logistics support.
According to the quoted source, the equipment program “Integrated Shora-Vshorad” weapons system “aims to equip the army with advanced armament systems, intended for protection against air threats, including cruise rockets and rockets and represents an optimal combination of mobility, efficiency and integration in modern defensive networks, being compatible with NATO requirements.
Initially the Minister of Defense, Ionuț Mosteanu, had announced that Romania is acquiring another anti -aircraft defense system, the famous Iron Dome, developed by the same company. Moșteanu made these statements on several occasions, which could mean that none of the experts of the Ministry of National Defense has been in a hurry to signal his confusion and help him correct it.
The differences between Iron Dome and Spyder, explained by a well -known general
General (r) Virgil Bălăceanu, an officer who represented Romania at the NATO Command in Brussels and was head of the multinational brigade in southeastern Europe, explains the differences between the two anti-aircraft systems.
“It's not about Iron Dome, it's about Spyder systems. It's true, the two have certain similarities, but Spyder, the one that takes Romania, is not as complete. Spyder has no Counter-Rocket Artilerry and Mortar capabilities. Iron Dome is a C-RY system. Katiusa type. artillery projectiles ”says General Virgil Bălăceanu.
The former representative of Romania at the NATO Command in Brussels also has a possible explanation regarding the confusion made by the Minister of Defense, Ionuț Moșteanu, who had previously insisted that this was Iron Dome. At the same time, he also explains the similarities between Iron Dome and Spyder.
The similarities between the two systems
“I do not know exactly where the mistakes of the minister left. Maybe it was a communication escape talking about Iron Dome. It was probably thinking that there are similarities, because there are some similarities in combating aviation, similarities in combating helicopters, similarities in combating drones. to combat ballistic missiles.says the general.
General Virgil Bălăceanu. Photo: Mapn
General Virgil Bălăceanu also explains why the only country that has benefited over time from the Iron Dome system is the US.
“The only ones who received Iron Dome were the Americans, but we also start from the idea that in terms of anti-rally, anti-air and anti-Dronic technologies, Israel always collaborates directly with the United States. In other words, the relationship between the two states is of a completely different nature,” underlines General Virgil Bălăceanu.
New anti -aircraft systems Modernization by Romania
On the other hand, although Spyder has no C-RAM capabilities, Romania plans to modernize some weapons that will benefit from these arguments.
“And we are going to develop through the modernization of anti-aircraft cannons 2×35 oerlinkon C-RAM capabilities, for a few batteries”,
Points General Virgil Bălăceanu, referring to the four 35 mm Oerlikon GDF 103 anti-aircraft artillery installations made in Switzerland. According to DefenseRomania.ro, each installation consists of an Oerlikon Skymaster TLCN fire control system, an X-Tar3D radar, six double-GDF009 Treo and two special transport trucks. Romania has already signed the project of modernization with the German Rheinmetall concern, and the total costs reach 328 million euros here.
