French Thales to deliver two drone-detecting radar systems to Romania earlier, defence ministry says

BUCHAREST, Nov 10 (Reuters) - French military ​equipment maker Thales TCFP.PA has agreed to deliver two drone-detecting radar systems to Romania earlier than initially agreed, the Romanian defence ministry said on Tuesday.

• Company representatives met with Defence Minister Stefan Radu Oprea and confirmed the possibility of delivering two radar systems earlier by a few weeks and months than initially agreed, respectively.

• Romania has signed a contract for 12 Ground Master 200 MM/A radar systems from Thales worth roughly 247 million euros ($275.43 million), to be funded under the European Union's new re-armament initiative SAFE.

• The first radar system was to be delivered around April 2027, ministry sources have said. The deliveries are staggered until 2030.

• "The (delivery) acceleration will enable Romania's Air Force to benefit earlier from modern capabilities to detect air threats, from low flying drones to aircraft and rockets flying at high altitude," the ministry said.

• The systems are knows as "gap fillers," smaller, shorter-range radars that detect low-flying aircraft, cruise missiles, or drones that slip under long-range radar coverage areas.

• NATO member Romania shares a 614-km (381-mile) border with Ukraine and has repeatedly reported Russian drone incursions into its airspace since Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

• Romania has a separate contract with Thales to provide four ‌radar systems, supporting both civil and military airspace surveillance and approach ​and landing operations.

($1 = 0.8968 euros)