Victor Cozmei • HotNews.ro
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The framework agreement for the supply of the "Tactical-operational UAS system class II" was signed, announced the Ministry of National Defense which, through CN Romtehnica SA, signed the contract with the company Elbit Systems Ltd from Israel.
Watchkeeper dronePhoto: Thales
The framework agreement, which was awarded through a specific procedure organized according to the provisions of GD no. 912/2021 on the approval of the circumstances and the specific procedure related to the "Tactical-operational UAS system class II" endowment program, has a duration of five years and is aimed at awarding subsequent contracts for the supply of a maximum of seven UAS Watchkeeper X systems in total of approx. 1,891 billion lei, without VAT (about 380 million euros).
The seven Watchkeeper X UAS Systems each involve a ground control station and three unmanned aircraft each. Thus, in total there will be practically 21 Watchkeeper X drones that will enter the equipment of the Army. The Watchkeeper X drones are designed especially for reconnaissance and intelligence gathering missions, but they can also be armed with special munitions. In Bacău, a year ago, a model of the Watchkeeper X drone was presented , armed with two missiles under each wing.
Drone Watchkeeper X produced in Romania
Through the signed agreement, the Elbit Systems Ltd Company is obliged to realize and consolidate on the national territory, at the level of economic operators in the defense industry, a production, integration, testing and maintenance capacity in the military field for the delivered systems. It should be noted that Elbit already produces in our country, in Bacău, parts for its Hermes 450 (Watchkeeper) drones.- Thus, starting with the first UAS Watchkeeper X system, the production of the structure of the aerial platform and the production of the structure of the ground command-control station container, as well as the production of electrical and mechanical components from the composition of the system will be carried out on the territory of Romania, at economic operators from the national industry defense.
- Also, starting with the third Watchkeeper X UAS system, the production of all electrical and mechanical systems related to it will be carried out in Romania, through economic operators from the national defense industry. At the same time, complex level maintenance operations during the life cycle of UAS Watchkeeper X systems will be carried out by economic operators from the national defense industry, so that in crisis and war situations it is not necessary to perform these operations outside the national territory.
- https://www.hotnews.ro/stiri-defens...-pentru-drone-watchkeeper-produse-romania.htm
