Military air surveillance in Romania is expected to become more efficient with Thales’ deployable primary and secondary radar systems. The Romanian Ministry of Defense has contracted Thales to supply four operational primary and secondary radar systems to support both civil and military air surveillance, approach and landing operations.
The four deployable ground-controlled approach radar systems will provide air traffic controllers with precise, real-time information about aircraft position relative to the runway centerline and glide path, supporting approaches and recoveries when visual references are limited. This will enable Romanian Air Force personnel to safely control aircraft movements in demanding operational environments, including in locations where fixed infrastructure may not be available or sufficient.
Deployable dual-use radars for military airspace surveillance
STAR NG is a scalable S-band approach control primary surveillance radar that provides coverage of up to 60 nautical miles for civil and military applications, including airports and air bases. In addition, Thales’ RSM NG/IFF combines NATO Mode 5 and EUROCONTROL Mode S interrogation with ADS-B detection in a single system, enabling aircraft identification across key defense and civil standards. According to a press release, Thales will also install four Precision Approach Radars (PARs) to support the safe and accurate control of all types of aircraft during approach and landing, even in difficult weather and poor visibility.
“We are honored by the trust placed in Thales by the Romanian government,” said Lionel de Castellane, vice president of air traffic and coastal radar at Thales. “By choosing our deployable dual-use radars, Romania can be confident in the robustness and reliability of our global military air traffic control solutions and count on our commitment to support its efforts to improve its airspace and interoperability with NATO.”
By choosing a deployable, interoperable, dual-use solution, Romania strengthens resilient air surveillance and air traffic control across its territory. The integrated surveillance, identification and precision approach capabilities will provide operators with a more complete aerial picture and seamless interoperability with national and NATO command and control architectures. With this investment, Romania ranks among the leading nations in mobile and interoperable military air traffic management and improves its ability to quickly respond to changing operational requirements, the press release said.
The system is cyber secure from the ground up
The company announced that the system is inherently cybersecure, complies with the latest recommendations from EUROCONTROL and ICAO, and will strengthen Romania’s air surveillance and interoperability with NATO, supporting improved situational awareness on NATO’s eastern flank.
The program will draw on Thales’ strong local presence and expertise in Romania, with the Romanian team working closely with the Ministry of Defense and local stakeholders to support deployment, integration and long-term availability. This is complemented by Thales’ global expertise in military air traffic control and surveillance, ensuring operational value from deployment to sustained operations. With nearly 60 years of experience in air traffic control and surveillance, Thales has delivered more than 1,200 systems to more than 100 countries, supporting civil and military customers worldwide, the press release said.
