Romania has placed an order for 12 Airbus Helicopters H225M Caracals, funded through the European Commission’s Security Action for Europe (SAFE) financing program, to strengthen its defense capabilities. The deal was concluded last week via France’s General Directorate for Armament (DGA) rather than directly with the French OEM.
This confirmation marks Romania’s second Airbus helicopter acquisition achieved via the SAFE mechanism, a financial instrument that the European Union explained “provides long-maturity loans to member states to support urgent and strategic investments in defense.” In June, a separate SAFE-enabled contract between Airbus Helicopters and Romania saw the former sign for seven H160s and five H145s for public-service missions.
That same month, the Romanian government outlined its intention to acquire the 12 H225Ms as part of a SAFE-allocated €16.7 billion (about $18.7 billion) “for the acquisition of military or dual-use equipment, as well as for dual-use infrastructure.” It estimated the H225M order was worth around €800 million and suggested that “the Romanian state intends to acquire a subsequent batch of 30 H225M helicopters produced in Romania.”
The heavy-twin helicopters, which will serve in both conventional and special operational roles, are intended to replace the Romanian air force’s aging Industria Aeronautica Romana IAR-330 Puma. This license-built variant of the Aérospatiale SA330 Puma first entered service with the Romanian military in 1975. Airbus Helicopters CEO Matthieu Louvot stressed that the H225M’s selection will “bolster Romania’s industrial capabilities through our long-term partnership with IAR, Romania’s sole helicopter manufacturer.”
The Romanian government’s June document suggested that the H225M procurement was of “strategic interest” to the country, and “an industrial cooperation agreement [had] already been concluded with Airbus Helicopters and IARSA [IAR], through which it was agreed to initiate the transfer of technology and licenses to the Romanian company.” It added that IAR employees will be trained “in the coming years in France” while a final assembly line is established in Romania.
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