The country is in “serious talks” for an agreement with U.S. aerospace manufacturer Bell Helicopters, Romania’s ambassador to the United States, George Maior, told Politico in an interview quoted by Agerpres. The talks are focused on both the production and the purchase of helicopters.

The ambassador also spoke of the country’s current military acquisitions, which include the Patriot Air and Missile Defense System, the HIMARS missile launching system, and the F16 aircraft.

He said the acquisition of the Patriot system was “going very well and very fast.” In November 2017, Romania signed a Letter of Offer and Acceptance for Patriot, making it the sixth NATO member state to procure Patriot. Romania has already paid the first Patriot system, which has a cost of USD 910.1 million. The total cost of this program is USD 4.64 billion, VAT included.

This February, Romania’s Senate voted the law draft for the acquisition of three long-range ground to ground HIMARS missile launching systems for a total of EUR 1.5 billion, VAT included.

A contract for the purchase of 227 armored vehicles from General Dynamics was signed and the F-16 program will continue, the ambassador said. Under the program, 12 aircraft were purchased from a total of 48.

He explained that Romania allots 40% of the defense budget for acquisitions and upgrades.

At the same time, Maior said Romania is the most pro-American country in Europe and the American military is very welcome in the country.

Furthermore, Romania’s defense minister Mihai Fifor plans to visit the U.S. in September to meet with defense secretary Jim Mattis, Maior said.

“Romania is eager to shift the concentration of U.S. forces in Europe from the center of the continent toward its eastern flank with Russia,” Maior told Politico.

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editor@romania-insider.com