IRIA News

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Romania has officially received its first naval combat vessel in more than 30 years, marking a major step in the country’s naval modernization efforts and strengthening defense cooperation with Turkiye as both NATO allies seek to enhance security in the Black Sea.

The vessel, named ROS Contraamiral August Roman (Rear Admiral August Roman), was formally handed over during a ceremony at the Istanbul Naval Shipyard, attended by Romanian President Nicușor Dan and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Built by Turkish defense company ASFAT, the ship was originally constructed as the Hisar-class offshore patrol vessel Akhisar for the Turkish Navy before Romania acquired it through a government-to-government agreement signed in December 2025. The contract is valued at approximately $254 million.

The transfer represents the first export of a Turkish-built naval combat vessel to a country that is both a member of the European Union and NATO, highlighting Turkiye’s growing position in the international naval defense market.

Boosting Black Sea security

Romanian officials said the new corvette will significantly strengthen the country’s surveillance, patrol, and response capabilities in the Black Sea, where regional security has become increasingly important.

The vessel is designed to conduct a wide range of missions, including maritime surveillance, reconnaissance, patrol operations, search and rescue, maritime interdiction, anti-air warfare, and anti-submarine warfare.

It is also capable of supporting helicopter operations and protecting critical maritime infrastructure and sea lines of communication.

President Dan said the ship will reinforce Romania’s contribution to regional security and NATO commitments while enhancing cooperation among Black Sea allies.

During his visit to Istanbul, Dan also discussed broader bilateral defense cooperation with President Erdoğan, including Turkish investment opportunities in Romania’s defense industry and expanded cooperation to protect critical underwater infrastructure in the Black Sea.

The Romanian president announced that Romania, Turkiye, and Bulgaria will further expand their existing joint mine-clearing initiative by including cooperation on underwater infrastructure protection.

The initiative is particularly important for Romania as the country prepares to develop major offshore energy projects in the Black Sea, including the Neptun Deep natural gas field, which is expected to become one of Romania’s primary sources of natural gas production later this decade.

Further Upgrades Planned

Although the vessel has entered Romanian naval service, Bucharest plans to further enhance its combat capabilities through an additional procurement package worth €42 million later this year.

The planned upgrades include the installation of a vertical launch system for air-defense missiles, a 35mm close-in weapon system, rocket-propelled depth charges, additional electro-optical and infrared sensors, and Naval Strike Missile (NSM) anti-ship missiles under the European Union’s Security Action for Europe (SAFE) program.

Romania classifies the vessel as a corvette due to these planned capability enhancements, although the Hisar-class platform is formally designated as an offshore patrol vessel.

The ship currently carries a 76mm main naval gun, two remotely operated 12.7mm machine guns, advanced combat management and communication systems, a three-dimensional surveillance radar, fire-control radar integrated with electro-optical sensors, electronic warfare systems, and a hull-mounted sonar.

It can operate for up to 21 days at sea, has a range of approximately 4,500 nautical miles, and accommodates a crew of around 100 personnel. The vessel also includes a flight deck and hangar for helicopter operations.

The Hisar-class design is based on Turkiye’s indigenous MILGEM national warship program, which has become the foundation of the country’s expanding naval shipbuilding industry. Compared with the Ada-class corvette, the Hisar-class emphasizes longer endurance and improved fuel efficiency while maintaining the flexibility to integrate additional weapons and sensors as operational requirements evolve.

Growing Strategic Partnership

The delivery reflects increasingly close defense relations between Romania and Turkiye, both of which play key roles in NATO’s southeastern flank.

Speaking during the ceremony, President Erdogan described the transfer as a symbol of the strategic partnership between the two countries, stressing that “Black Sea security is an inseparable part of the Euro-Atlantic security architecture.”

Turkish officials also highlighted the broader progress of the country’s naval industry, noting that Turkiye is currently building dozens of naval platforms for both domestic use and export customers, including frigates, offshore patrol vessels, destroyers, submarines, unmanned surface vessels, and future aircraft carrier projects.

Romania’s decision to acquire the vessel was driven by the need to quickly strengthen its naval capabilities in the Black Sea amid evolving regional security challenges. The new corvette is expected to support both national defense missions and NATO operations while helping protect Romania’s maritime economic interests, including offshore energy infrastructure.

The delivery also demonstrates the growing defense-industrial cooperation between the two countries and signals Turkiye’s expanding role as a supplier of advanced naval platforms to European allies.