Airbus, Thales to produce military equipment in Romania under EUR 1 bln defence contracts

20 July 2026 Romania has signed two defence procurement contracts worth about EUR 1 billion under the European Union's Security Action for Europe (SAFE) programme, paving the way for the local production of Airbus H225M helicopters and Thales radar components, the Ministry of National Defence announced on July 17, according to Mediafax. The agreements, signed by Romania's General Directorate for Armaments and its French counterpart acting as the contracting authority, cover the acquisition of 12 Airbus H225M Caracal helicopters and 12 Thales Ground Master 200 MM/A air surveillance radars. The contracts are accompanied by industrial cooperation agreements requiring technology transfer and manufacturing activities in Romania. The helicopter purchase order is valued at approximately EUR 757 m