Romania Plans Joint Drone Production With Ukraine Under EU SAFE Defense Program

Romania is planning to collaborate with Ukraine to produce drones under the European Union's SAFE defense funding program, allocating substantial funds to modernize its military capabilities and defense industry. The partnership leverages Ukraine's battle-tested drone technologies and aims to establish a domestic UAV manufacturing plant, signaling Romania's commitment to adopting advanced military technologies. Romania has received €16.6 billion through the SAFE initiative, which supports joint defense projects for EU member states and partners, facilitating significant military acquisitions over the next five years. Despite these efforts, Romania acknowledges that it will take at least seven years to develop a fully layered air defense system, relying in the interim on asymmetric defense measures and existing systems such as F-16 fighters, Patriot missiles, and German Gepard anti-aircraft guns. The country has experienced repeated drone incursions from Russia, heightening the urgency for enhanced air defense, though the extensive deployment of current systems along the border is cost-prohibitive. Discussions between Romanian and Ukrainian defense officials continue, focusing on technology exchange and joint production to strengthen regional security and defense capabilities.