Romania is set to acquire four new vessels to be built domestically by Rheinmetall, including two large multipurpose offshore patrol vessels configured to a light corvette standard, similar to Bulgaria’s MMPV 90 program.
Romania is advancing its naval modernization program with the planned acquisition of four new vessels. Two of these will be large multipurpose offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) built to a light corvette standard, similar to Bulgaria’s procurement of the MMPV 90. The remaining two vessels will be dedicated diver support and intervention ships.
These projects form part of a broader package of 16 military procurement programs worth €8.3 billion under the EU-backed Security Action for Europe (SAFE) initiative, according to a parliamentary document. The naval component alone is valued at approximately €920 million, making it the second-largest procurement effort under SAFE. Of this amount, around €836 million is allocated to the two light corvettes.
According to Defense Industry Europe, the joint defence committees of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate have issued preliminary approval, allowing the process to move towards a full parliamentary vote. If approved, the Ministry of Defence will be authorized to award contracts.
Romania’s Defence Minister, Radu Miruță, confirmed that all vessels will be built domestically. Hull construction and combat system integration will take place at the Mangalia 2 Mai Shipyard under a newly established joint venture. The shipyard will be modernized and will be led by Rheinmetall as the majority shareholder, with the Romanian state holding a minority stake, contributing land and fixed assets, and MSC participating as an industrial partner specializing in civilian shipbuilding.
This arrangement follows the bankruptcy of Damen Mangalia Shipyard on April 6, 2026. The yard had already been under administration after the insolvency of Damen Shipyards Mangalia in June 2024, with Rheinmetall stepping in to help preserve industrial capacity and employment.
Previous corvettes procurement by Romania
For the record, in December 2025, Turkish defense contractor ASFAT announced the signing of a contract with Romania’s Ministry of National Defence for the sale of TCG Akhisar (P-1220), the lead vessel of the Turkish Navy’s Hisar-class offshore patrol vessels. Romania previously held a corvette procurement competition involving Dutch shipbuilder Damen and France’s Naval Group. For the record, Romanian authorities announced in 2019 the selection of Naval Group and its partner local shipyard Santierul Naval Constanta (SNC) for the programme to build four new corvettes. The deal also includes the modernization the in-service T22 frigates and the creation of a maintenance and training centre. However the deal never came into force, despite a letter of intent signed three years ago.
The MMPV 90 Design and Bulgarian Precedent
The selection of NVL BV & Co. KG, part of the Naval Systems division of Rheinmetall AG (Rheinmetall acquired the Naval Vessels Lürssen on 1 March 2026), combined with the allocated budget, strongly points to the MMPV 90 design already adopted by Bulgaria. Romanian website HotNews, reports that indeed this design has been selected and provides further details on the configuration of the future ships, expected to be delivered by 2030.
The vessels are approximately 90 meters in length, with a beam of 13.5 meters, hence the MMPV 90 designation, and a full-load displacement exceeding 2,300 tonnes. They are designed for speeds of up to 24 knots and a range of over 3,000 nautical miles, with a crew of around 70 personnel.
Each ship will carry two RHIBs amidships and will feature a flight deck and hangar capable of supporting a Eurocopter AS565 Panther helicopter as well as UAV operations.
While detailed specifications of the Romanian configuration have not been officially disclosed, Miruță indicated that the ships will differ significantly from the Bulgarian variant, incorporating more advanced electronic systems and weaponry, factors that explain the higher program cost.
However, approximately €160 million is expected to be allocated to settle the shipyard’s debt, with Minister Miruță stating to DefenseRomania that the cost will be integrated into the SAFE-funded construction of the four vessels.
For comparison, Bulgaria’s ships were constructed under a €420 million contract (excluding weapons and ammunition), with the total project cost estimated at around €500 million. Both Bulgarian vessels were built locally at the MTG Dolphin Shipyard in Varna.
Electronics and Armament
The electronic and weapon configuration is not yet confirmed but according to HotNews, Thales is expected to supply the electronic equipment, including a multifunction radar (potentially from the NS100/NS110 family), with integrated IFF, along with the TACTICOS combat management system. If Thales is the primary supplier, then additional systems may include the STIR 1.2 EO Mk2 fire control radar or MIRADOR Mk3 electro-optical / fire control sensor, as well as electronic warfare systems such as VIGILE (R-ESM) and ALTESSE-H (C-ESM).
Further equipment is expected to include CCTV system, 2-3 navigation and helicopter approach radars in X- and S-band, SATCOM, a hull-mounted sonar (possibly BLUEWATCHER due to the size of the vessel), and a variable depth sonar (potentially CAPTAS-2). Unlike the Bulgarian variant, which features a stern ramp for RHIB operations, the Romanian ships may prioritize anti-submarine warfare capabilities.
The reported armament package includes a OTO 76/62 Super Rapid main gun from Leonardo, an Oerlikon MILLENNIUM 35mm CIWS from Rheinmetall (both weapon systems also equip the Bulgarian variant), NSM anti-ship missiles from Kongsberg (two twin launchers installed amidships more likely), and a 21-cell RAM launcher in place of the 8-cell VLS for VL MICA on the Bulgarian variant (an unusual choice as VL MICA provides greater range) installed on the Bulgarian ships.
Additional systems are expected to include torpedo launchers, likely 324mm systems from Leonardo for MU90 torpedoes, and decoy launchers, possibly MASS from Rheinmetall.
