Romania is moving ahead with plans to acquire a Turkish-made Hisar-class offshore patrol vessel, a deal that Bucharest sees as essential to plugging critical gaps in its aging Black Sea fleet.
The Romanian Defence Ministry confirmed that the contract is now in its final stages, following unanimous parliamentary approval in September. Once signed, the ship is expected to arrive in Constanța within six months, far faster than Romania's other delayed naval programs.
A €223 million price tag
The Hisar-class vessel, built by Turkey's Istanbul Naval Shipyard, comes with a €223 million price tag and an additional €42 million for Romania-specific upgrades. The transfer will be conducted under a government-to-government agreement, with Turkey's ASFAT overseeing the process.
Two ships of the same class, TCG Akhisar and TCG Koçhisar, were launched in 2023. The design features a 76mm main gun, remote-controlled 12.7mm stations, fixed-face AESA radars, an ESM suite, and a hull-mounted sonar, along with space for additional systems.
Romania plans to keep most of the original configuration for a fast handover but will integrate some capabilities domestically. The Naval Strike Missile will be installed after the ship arrives, forming the vessel's primary anti-ship weapon.