Romania’s security interests at the Black Sea are defended by very valuable people, National Defence Minister Mihai Fifor said on Saturday, pointing out that modernising military navy can no longer be postponed.
“I continued the working visit at the structures of our military navy, at the 39th Divers’ Centre in Constanta, followed by the 256th Helicopter Group in Tuzla and I ended the day in Mangalia, in the military port, where I saw the 150th Missile Carrying Ships and 50th Corvettes,” Fifor wrote on Facebook.
The Defence Minister points out that he is determined to contribute to the process of modernising the military navy.
“If I were to summarise in only two words the impressions which I am leaving with after the meeting with the professionals of the Romanian Naval Forces these would be: optimism and determination. Optimism, because I convinced myself that Romania’s security interests at the Black Sea are defended by very valuable people, with passion and vocation for their profession. I have seen bound and efficient teams, in which each man knows his role and accurately accomplishes his tasks. And determination I assume on my own behalf and also of the team I am running at the top of the ministry, in respect to modernising Romania’s military navy, which can no longer be postponed,” Fifor wrote.
According to the minister, 2018 will be a reference year for this category of forces.
“We are prepared to launch the programme of purchasing the multi-functional corvettes – a programme that will ensure, through the corresponding offset, the modernisation of the two frigates type T-22 and we will prepare the conditions for conducting the acquisitions for the system of anti-ship missile launching mobile installations. We are in full swing with grounding the concept of endowment for yet another strategic programme – the endowment of the Naval Forces with submarines, a concept which we will present as soon as possible in the CSAT [the Supreme Council for National Defence], for approval, and then to Romania’s Parliament,” Fifor showed.
He pointed out that all these things will be carried out starting from the essential and non-negotiable condition that this high-tech products be made in Romania, to bring back important resources to the national defence industry.
“To be able to consolidate Romania’s strategic position at the Black Sea, we need performing naval forces, and 2018 will be the beginning of meeting these objectives,” Fifor also said.
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