Thales will strengthen Romania’s airspace surveillance capabilities through the delivery of twelve Ground Master 200 Multi-Mission All-in-one (GM200 MM/A) radars under a government-to-government agreement signed between Romania’s General Directorate for Armaments and France’s Direction Générale de l’Armement (DGA). Funded through the European Union’s SAFE programme, the agreement represents a significant milestone in Franco-Romanian defence cooperation and reflects the growing collaboration among European nations to enhance collective security. The first radar systems are expected to be delivered in 2027.
The GM200 MM/A is a combat-proven medium-range 4D Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar designed to detect, track and classify a wide range of threats, including low-altitude drones, aircraft and missiles. With detection capabilities extending up to 350 kilometres, the system provides advanced situational awareness and supports rapid decision-making in complex operational environments.
Built on software-defined technology, the GM200 MM/A delivers high levels of flexibility and precision to address evolving security challenges. The radar can simultaneously perform multiple missions, including air and surface surveillance, weapon coordination and Rocket, Artillery and Mortar (RAM) sense-and-warn operations, making it a critical component of modern integrated air defence systems.
A key advantage of the GM200 MM/A is its all-in-one configuration, which integrates the radar, mast and power generator within a single 20-foot shelter. This design enables full vehicle mobility, rapid deployment and operational readiness within less than 15 minutes, allowing armed forces to respond quickly to emerging threats.
The agreement further strengthens the long-standing partnership between Romania and France in the defence sector. Thales has been supporting Romania’s defence modernisation efforts for more than two decades and currently employs over 850 people in the country. Romania also hosts one of Thales’ global engineering competence centres, contributing local expertise to international technology programmes.
As part of this initiative, Thales will establish a Radar Competence Centre in Romania to support the development of local expertise, strengthen industrial partnerships and enhance long-term operational capabilities. The company will continue working with Romanian industry to expand localisation efforts and contribute to future NATO and European defence initiatives.
Commenting on the agreement, Pascale Sourisse, Senior Executive Vice-President, International Development, Thales, said, “On behalf of Thales, I would like to sincerely thank the Romanian and French Ministries of Defence for their trust. Our Group fully supports Romania’s ambition to develop long-term industrial capacity and expertise in the radar domain. In the spirit of the SAFE initiative, we will create a Radar Competence Centre to accompany this agreement. We stand ready to expand partnerships with Romanian industry, strengthen localisation, sustain operational readiness and contribute to future NATO and European initiatives involving Romania.”
Patrick Pailloux, Director General for Armaments, added, “These orders are carried out as part of acquisitions managed by France through the FASt mechanism, established by the French Defence Procurement Agency for acquisitions on behalf of partner countries. Franco-Romanian cooperation, already strong at the operational level, is further reinforced through Bucharest’s decision to equip its armed forces with French industrial solutions.” The agreement highlights Thales’ continued commitment to delivering advanced defence technologies that support national sovereignty, security and cooperation among allied nations.
With more than 85,000 employees across 65 countries, Thales is a global technology leader in defence, aerospace, cybersecurity and digital solutions. The company invests €4.5 billion annually in research and development across critical technologies including artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, quantum technologies and cloud systems. In 2025, Thales generated revenues of €22.1 billion.
