Romania and Türkiye have entered into an agreement for the acquisition of a HISAR-class corvette for the Romanian Naval Forces.
The contract was signed by the Romanian Ministry of National Defence, General Directorate for Armaments head brigadier general Ion-Cornel Pleșa, and Military Factory and Shipyard Management (ASFAT) CEO Mustafa İlbaş on 3 December 2025.
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ASFAT is a Turkish state-owned defence contractor.
The signing took place in the presence of Radu Miruță, Romania’s Acting Minister of National Defence, and Musa Heybet, Deputy Minister of Defence of the Republic of Türkiye.
“ASFAT has completed Türkiye’s first export of a warship to a NATO and European Union member country!” ASFAT said on X.
The contract sets the purchase price at €223m ($259m) excluding VAT, which includes not only the vessel but also personnel training and a package for logistical support.
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By GlobalDataThe Supreme Council for Homeland Defence approved the multi-annual programme to equip the Romanian Naval Forces with a HISAR-class corvette in March 2025, authorising the Ministry of National Defence to proceed with procurement steps.
On 8 September, joint defence committees from both the Senate and Chamber of Deputies gave unanimous approval for this acquisition.
Romania Minister of National Defence said: “The entry of a new ship into the Naval Forces’ service is a concrete step, which strengthens our defence capacity in the Black Sea. We are not just talking about military equipment, but about Romania’s security and respect for our soldiers who need the best conditions to conduct their missions.”
The HISAR-class corvette forms part of a broader procurement programme for the Romanian Naval Forces.
The programme intends to support missions that protect critical maritime infrastructure at sea as well as patrol and combat operations.
Romania has increased its defence budget in response to regional threats.
According to data and analysis company GlobalData’s “Romania Defense Market 2024-2029” report released last May, the nation’s defence expenditure rose 53.3% since 2023. The projected total for 2025-2029 is $46.3bn (213.4bn lei).
