Warsaw: As Russia’s military activities in the Baltic and Black seas are mounting pressure on NATO’s eastern flank, a number of Eastern European countries are developing programmes to acquire unmanned aerial vehicles for their militaries.
In Romania, local analysts say the country’s Ministry of National Defence aims to boost the military’s surveillance, reconnaissance and intelligence (SRI) capabilities by acquiring new drones, ensuring the country’s armed forces can efficiently monitor Romanian borders.
“Romania wants to increase its SRI capacity in the Black Sea, taking into account that the militarisation of the region by Russia is intensively continuing,” said George Scutaru, head of the Bucharest-based New Strategy Center think tank and a former member of parliament and government adviser.
“At the end of last April, the joint Defence Committees of the Romanian parliament adopted the request of the Ministry of National Defence to start the procurement procedures for five new programmes, including the acquisition of UAV systems. Within this programme, an acquisition of seven tactical-operative UAV systems is to be carried out,” he said.
Romania’s previous attempt at purchasing drones for its military came in 2018 under a procedure to buy tactical UAVs for some 250 million lei (US$56 million). The bidders included American firm AAI Corporation, Israel’s Aeronautics Limited, BlueBird Aero Systems and Israel Aerospace Industries, as well as Romanian company Ymens Teamnet. However, a Romanian court cancelled the tender after some bidders filed complaints.
Meanwhile, Poland’s Ministry of Defence is developing several acquisition programmes to acquire UAVs. To date, the ministry has ordered short-range drones and mini drones, with more programmes to procure surveillance and combat drones underway.
“In the long-term, the Polish Armed Forces are planning to acquire about a dozen sets of mid-range UAVs under the Gryf programme, several MALE combat-reconnaissance UAVs under the Zefir programme, and vertical take-off and landing short-range UAVs for the navy under the Albatros programme,” a spokesperson for the Polish ministry said.
WB Group is also exporting its drones, with Warmate’s deliveries to four allies carried out through the NATO Support and Procurement Agency. Most recently, the manufacturer established a subsidiary in Ukraine where its UAVs have been operated by the country’s military.
Other countries in the region that plan to acquire drones include the Czech Republic. Last November, Czech President Milos Zeman spurred controversy when he called on the government to buy Israeli UAVs for the armed forces. Combat drones are to be acquired under the country’s military modernisation programme 2027, worth 100 billion koruna (US$4.25 billion).
