Radio România Internațional

Tag: tank

  • Romania. The Eastern Flank

    Romania. The Eastern Flank

    Beginning January 2025, Romania has expanded its presence, in terms of number of military and capabilities, to two more NATO battle groups that have been operational in the allied countries as part of NATO’s eastern flank. The Romanian army has sent an anti-tank detachment in Slovakia and a reconnaissance unit in Bulgaria. Concurrently, Romania has continued its participation to the battle group in Poland, with an anti-aircraft detachment.

    As part of NATO’s Summit held in Madrid in 2022, the decision was taken, of establishing multinational battle groups in Bulgaria, Romania, Slovakia and Hungary, as part of the strengthening of the joint defense measures along the North-Atlantic Alliance’s Eastern Flank. Those battle groups have been founded after the pattern of those in the Baltic States and Poland which were established after the allied Summit held in Warsaw in 2016.

    The battle group in Slovakia is coordinated by Spain and includes military of the Czech Republic, Portugal, Romania and Slovenia. In Bulgaria, the battle group is coordinated by Italy, with contributions from Albania, Croatia, Greece, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Turkey and the USA.

    The expansion of Romania’s contribution to the implementation of the allied measures of deterrence and defense has completed the presence of Romanian military to the battle group in Poland, where the Romanian Army has been participating since 2017. Romania’s presence to the North-Atlantic Alliance’s Battle Groups stands proof of Romania’s unwavering commitment for the strengthening of the collective defense along the Eastern Flank.

    NATO Battle Group in Romania has France as its framework-nation. The contributor states are Belgium, Luxembourg and Spain. Romania’s battle group, alongside the battle group in Bulgaria are under the coordination of the Commander of the Headquarters of the Multinational Division South-East in Bucharest.
    The 360-degree approach in the field of defense and deterrence, implemented by NATO, has as its eventual aim the provision of collective security, It defines the Alliance’s three main tasks: deterrence and defense, the prevention and the management of crises and security through cooperation.
    At present, Romania contributes to maintaining the regional and global security with more than 1,000 military.

    Romania also takes part in some of the European Union’s missions and operations. To that effect, Romania holds the command of the Training mission of the Armed Forces of the Central African Republic. Also, these days Romania will take over the command of the EUFOR ALTHEA mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where Romania is the major contributor.

    Accordingly, of the nine military operations and missions carried under the aegis of the European Union’s Common Security and Defense Policy, to which it contributes military forces and capabilities, Romanian will simultaneously have the command of two of those operations.

    Security in the Black Sea region, the strengthening of the defense dimension as part of the strategic partnership between Romania and Great Britain, as well as the enhancement of cooperation within the allied structures: those were the topics on the agenda of the talks the Romanian Defense Minister, Angel Tâlvăr, had with the British Ambassador to Romania, His Excellency Giles Matthew Portman.

    High on the talks’ agenda was the strengthening of the defense stance and deterrence along NATO’s eastern flank, with special emphasis laid on the Black Sea region, given the ongoing security challenges.

    The Romanian Defense Minister emphasized Romania’s intention to continue the development of its strategic partnership with the United Kingdom through its active involvement in joint security and defense initiatives. To that effect, Angel Talvar also mentioned the support of Ukraine against Russia’s aggression and the consolidation of the support offered to republic of Moldova, with a view to strengthening stability and security in the region.

  • Engines at full throttle

    Engines at full throttle



    2024 appears to be an eventful year in terms of training and exercise for Romanian military. but also for the foreign detachments dislodged as part of the NATO Combat Group, on Romanian territory. Irrespective of the country and the arms they are part of, for all military, specialized preparation is the underpinning element of their training programme.




    Early into 2024, training was ongoing for the French, Luxembourg and Portuguese partners at the military training range in central Romanias Cincu base. The set target of the training session, specific for anti-aircraft defense, was that of enhancing the interoperability level among the forces that took part in the mission.




    Here is what platoon commander of the Portuguese military, second-lieutenant Maria Ines Cruz, had to say about the aforementioned exercise:




    “We participated in training under difficult conditions, including both specialized preparation and a physical preparation session, meant to increase cohesion within a mixed team. The most important tactical moments during training were the movement of vehicles in difficult terrain, the engagement of targets the response to an ambush and the observation of the Frech anti-drone weapons”




    Apart from the anti-aircraft artillery forces, also engaged in the training session were the French and Belgian tank corps who for three weeks now have undergone training as part of a multinational exercise that tests their stamina but also the response on the battle field. The start of the training session was given straight from central Romanias Bogata range. The military of the three nations will implement all procedures and tactics they acquired in time, so that they can be harmonized with a maximum efficiency. Lieutenant-colonel Mihai Pintiliciuc, the commander of 841 Tanks Battalion is well aware of the fact that “2024 will be a difficult year, replete with training activities and challenges which we are set to approach using the experience we acquired throughout the years. This year we want to maintain the pace of our training, staging at least four exercises in the Turda range, one in Cincu and, most likely, the biggest one in the coming fall, in the Smardan shooting range, Zimbrul 24.”




    We recall France is the frame nation leading the Combat Group on Romanian territory. France is the leading contributor in terms of troops and technical equipment, with its state-of-the art Leclerc tanks. Here is what the Head of NATOo Combat Group in Romania, lieutenant-colonel Constant Deforge, said ” The Present French detachment has been dislodged in Romania since November, long enough for them to get accustomed to the climate conditions and seize the auspicious opportunity to work alongside the Romanian partners, in a range other than the one in Cincu. “




    We now leave the Bogata training range and reach the Getica Joint National Training Center, based in Cincu, Brasov. There the Luxembourg military received the visit of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourgs Defense Minister, Yuricko Bockes and the Luxembourg head of defense, General Steve Thull. The high-ranking officials were welcomed by the Romania National Defense Minister, Angel Tîlvăr and the Romanian Chief of Staff, General Gheorghiță Vlad. High on the agenda was the security in the Black Sea region and the West Balkans. The high-ranking participants laid emphasis on the continuation of offering support to Ukraine and Republic of Moldova. Also, the parties involved analyzed the stage of the bilateral cooperation relations in the military field and the improvement prospects of these relations, especially in the field of joint training and cyber defense.