Romania wants to buy 18 Bayraktar drones from Türkiye

BUCHAREST

Romania has expressed interest in buying 18 of the famed Turkish fighter drones known as Bayraktar TB2s, local reports said on Thursday.

The Romanian Defense Ministry reportedly requested parliamentary approval for the purchase of 18 of the drones.

A petition submitted by the ministry said that with the help of the drones, the country hopes to implement capability targets given to Romania in the NATO defense planning process, and that the program will help achieve goals for the transformation of the Romanian army by 2040.

Talks on the €300 million ($299.6 million) purchase will begin between the two countries following the approval process.

The Turkish-made drones have gained fame in the war in the current war in Ukraine and the fall 2020 battle over Karabakh, helping Azerbaijan triumph, and have attracted interested buyers fall and wide, including fellow NATO member Poland.

People in several countries started fundraising campaigns to buy more of the useful drones for Ukrainians fighting off the Russian war.