Romania launched the procurement process for four corvettes

The Romanian Ministry of Defence has launched the procurement process for the acquisition of four new corvettes to boost its Navy’s presence in the Black Sea.

The procurement is divided into three stages. The qualification stage will take place over a period of 56 calendar days following the publication date of the call for participation, which was 26 February. The second and third stages, dialogue and evaluation of the submitted offers, will follow shortly afterward as the first vessel is scheduled to be built within a maximum period of three years and the entire procurement is to be completed within seven years.

Within the requirements for the four ships, the vessels should have a displacement of 1,600t and have an estimated acquisition cost of €1.6billion ($2billion).

Romanian Defence Minister Mihai Fifor said the planned offset agreement is to be used to modernize two Type 22 Broadsword-class frigates operated by the country’s Navy.