Wire flash
PoliticsRomania orders 12 Thales GM200 MM/A radars from France in government deal
Editorial responsibility
- No named human review is recorded for this page.
- Source reporting is collected, normalized, translated or condensed automatically when needed.
- Automatically published source-backed update
Romania has agreed to purchase 12 Thales Ground Master 200 Multi-Mission All-in-one (GM200 MM/A) radars from France under a government-to-government agreement funded by the European Union's SAFE program. The contract was signed by the French Defence Procurement Agency (DGA) and the Romanian Armaments Directorate. The medium-range 4D AESA radars, capable of tracking drones, aircraft, and missiles up to 350 km, are designed for air and ground surveillance, weapon coordination, and early warning against rocket, artillery, and mortar attacks. First deliveries are expected in 2027. Thales will establish a radar capability center in Romania as part of the deal, supporting local industrial partnerships and engineering talent. Both countries emphasized the agreement strengthens NATO's eastern flank amid heightened regional security concerns.
Source report
Romania has agreed to purchase 12 Thales Ground Master 200 Multi-Mission All-in-One (GM200 MM/A) radars from France under a government-to-government agreement.
The contract was signed by the French Defence Procurement Agency (DGA) and the Romanian Armaments Directorate, with funding provided by the European Union through the SAFE programme.
Delivery Timeline
Thales has confirmed that initial deliveries are expected in 2027.
System Capabilities
The GM200 MM/A is a medium-range 4D Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) system, already deployed in active combat environments. Key specifications include:
- Detection range: Up to 350 km
- Target tracking: Drones, aircraft, and missiles
- Multi-mission capability: Air and ground surveillance, weapon coordination, and early warning against rocket, artillery, and mortar attacks
- Deployment: Integrated into a single 20-foot vehicle-mounted shelter, deployable within 15 minutes
Strategic Context
Both the Romanian and French defence ministries have emphasised that the agreement reflects the strong partnership between the two nations and aligns with efforts to strengthen NATO's eastern flank.
Romania, a member of both the EU and NATO, continues to modernise its armed forces amid heightened regional security concerns.
Industry Collaboration
Pascale Sourisse, Thales Senior Executive Vice President for International Development, stated:
"Our group fully supports Romania's ambition to develop long-term industrial capabilities and expertise in the radar domain. In the spirit of the SAFE initiative, we will establish a radar capability centre in conjunction with this agreement.
>
"We are ready to expand our cooperation with Romanian industry, strengthen localisation, sustain operational readiness, and contribute to future NATO and European initiatives involving Romania."
Thales Presence in Romania
Thales has operated in Romania for over 20 years, employing more than 850 people locally and running one of its global engineering capability centres in the country.
The company noted that this latest contract builds on existing relationships with Romania, with plans to further support the development of local engineering talent and industrial partnerships as part of broader European security initiatives.
Source
Army TechnologyWestern
Part of this Story
Romania Orders 12 Thales GM200 MM/A Radars from France in Government-to-Government Deal