Romaero signs agreement with Israel’s Rafael aiming to produce air defense and weapons systems for the Romanian army

Romaero signed a cooperation agreement with Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems aiming to produce air defense and other weapons systems the two companies hope to offer to the Romanian armed forces, according to The Times of Israel.

The deal, signed in Bucharest, will include development of the sea-borne version of the Iron Dome short-range missile defense system, as well as Samson remote control weapons systems, and Spike tactical missiles, Rafael said in a statement on Thursday.

Rafael did not give an estimate for how much the cooperation might be worth to the companies.

In April, 40 US lawmakers urged appropriators to consider purchasing Iron Dome, which Israel has used to intercept missiles fired from the Gaza Strip and from Syria, for US Army use.

In February Israel Aerospace Industries, which manufactures radar for the Iron Dome system, said it has sold 100 units of the radar to nine countries for a total of USD 2 billion.

Another major Israeli defense company, Elbit, will equip Romania’s Piranha V armored 8X8 vehicles with an ELBIT UT-30 turret with 30 mm cannon. Other versions will have an Elbit remote turret with a 12.7 mm gun.

Romania bought 227 Piranha V from US giant General Dynamics.