Leonardo has secured a contract to supply two C-27J Spartans to Romania, increasing the NATO country’s fleet of the tactical transport system to nine.
The order was placed by the government’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and facilitated under the EU’s Security Action for Europe joint military defense procurement framework.
The platforms will be operated by the General Inspectorate of Aviation and will be deployed for emergency services, disaster response, and civil protection across Romania and in support of regional cooperation in Europe.
Delivery is scheduled for 2029.
First Next-Generation C-27Js
The Italian aerospace company said Romania’s incoming aircraft will incorporate a next-generation build while maintaining interoperability with the nation’s older C-27J airframes, which have logged over 30,000 flight hours to date.
They will be fitted with new avionics, modern communication solutions, and advanced aerodynamic upgrades to optimize efficiency and overall performance.
Additional features include swappable roll-on/roll-off mission kits that support flexibility between standard long-range flights as well as specialized tasks, bio-hazard transport and firefighting.
Boosting Defense, Collective Security
The order comes as Bucharest seeks to strengthen national resilience and allied monitoring in response to “security challenges generated by the Russian Federation’s war of aggression against Ukraine.”
Speaking at a recent NATO Capability Generation Conference in Belgium, Romanian Defence Minister Radu Miruță called for further assistance on the alliance’s eastern flank following a drone incursion in Galați.
“Romania is investing in its own defense, but time is not on anyone’s side and until the capabilities are delivered, we need support from allies,” he stated.
