Romanian Armed Forces

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Romanian Armed Forces
Forţele Armate Române

The coat of arms and the flag
Founded 1860
Current form 11 April 2000
Service branches Land Forces
Naval Forces
Air Forces
Headquarters Bucharest
Leadership
Supreme Commander of the Army Traian Băsescu
Minister of National Defense Mihai Stanişoară
Commander-in-Chief of the General Staff Admiral Gheorghe Marin
Manpower
Military age 18 years of age
Available for
military service		 5,061,984 males, age 15–49 (2005 est.[1]),
4,975,427 females, age 15–49 (2005 est.[1])
Fit for
military service		 3,932,579 males, age 15–49 (2005 est.[1]),
4,076,288 females, age 15–49 (2005 est.[1])
Reaching military
age annually		 172,093 males (2005 est.[1]),
165,547 females (2005 est.[1])
Active personnel 90,000 (ranked 47th)
Expenditures
Budget €2.21 billion.[2]
Percent of GDP 2.05%.[3]
Related articles
Ranks Romanian Armed Forces ranks and insignia

The Land Forces, Air Force and Naval Forces of Romania are all collectively known as the Romanian Armed Forces (Romanian: Forţele Armate Române or Armata Română) . The current Commander-in-chief is Admiral Gheorghe Marin, being managed by the Minister of National Defense, while the president is the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces during wartime.

The total defence spending currently accounts for 2.05% of total national GDP, which represents approximately 2,9 billion dollars (ranked 47th). However, the Romanian Armed Forces will spend about 11 billion dollars in the next five years, for modernization and acquirement of new equipment. [4]

90,000 men and women currently comprise the Armed Forces, 75,000 of them being military personnel and the other 15,000 civilians. The Land Forces have a reported strength of 45,800, the Air Force a strength of 13,250 and the 6,800-strong Naval Forces, while the remaining other 8,800 serve in other fields.[5]

The Land Forces completely overhauled their equipment in the past few years, and today they are a modern army, with multiple NATO capabilities. They are participating to peacekeeping missions in Afghanistan and Iraq, together with the other NATO countries. The Air Force currently operates modernized Soviet MiG-21LanceR fighters, which are becoming obsolete and due to be replaced by Eurofighter Typhoon, Saab 39 Gripen or F-16 Fighting Falcon within 2010-2012. Also, the Air Force ordered 7 new C-27J Spartan tactical airlift aircraft, in order to replace the bulk of the old transport force.[6] Two modernized ex-Royal Navy Type 22 frigates were acquired by the Naval Forces in 2004 and a further four modern missile corvettes will be commissioned in the next few years. Three native-made IAR 330 Puma NAVAL helicopters were also ordered by the Naval Forces, and were commissioned in late 2008.

Contents

[edit] Manpower

Main article: Romania and NATO
Romanian soldiers on patrol in Afghanistan

Romania joined NATO in 2004. As a consequence, extensive preparations have been made for the abolishment of conscription and the transition to a professional army by 2007. The new armed forces include 90,000 men and women. About 75,000 of these are the military personnel, while 15,000 is made up of civilians. 60,000 of the 90,000 will be the active forces, while 30,000 comprise the territorial forces [7]. Out of the 75,000 troops which comprise the actual military, ca. 45,800 make up the Romanian Land Forces, 13,250 are the Romanian Air Force and 6,800 are in the Romanian Naval Forces, while the remaining 8,800 serve in other fields [8].

[edit] Modernization

Romanian soldiers during training

The Romanian Military will essentially undergo a three-stage restructuring. As of 2007, the first short-term stage has been completed. 2015 marks the end of the second stage when the armed forces will reach a superior compatibility with NATO forces. [9]. In 2025, the long-term stage is to be completed. The stages aim at modernizing the structure of the armed forces, reducing the personnel as well as acquiring newer and more improved technology that is compatible with NATO standards[10].

[edit] Current deployments

Romanian soldiers in Southern Afghanistan during a joint operation with American forces
Romanian soldiers in Iraq

Romania has troops deployed in both Iraq and Afghanistan. At its peak, the Romanian continent in Iraq numbered 730 soldiers. Romania currently has 350 soldiers in Iraq and 900 soldiers in Afghanistan.

[edit] Other militarized institutions

The following Romanian institutions have military status but are not part of the Army:

[edit] See also

Romanian Air Force IAR-330 SOCAT

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ CIA World Factbook, Military of Romania
  2. ^ (Romanian) MoND Budget as of 2007, Ziarul Financiar, October 30, 2006
  3. ^ (Romanian) MoND Budget as of 2007, Ziarul Financiar, October 30, 2006
  4. ^ (Romanian)MoND Budget as of 2007, Ziarul Financiar, October 30, 2006
  5. ^ (Romanian) Ministry of National Defense. Press conference
  6. ^ "Spartan Order", Aviation Week & Space Technology, December 11, 2006.
  7. ^ Ministry of National Defence, Press conference
  8. ^ Adevărul, România, cel mai important dintre viitorii membri ai NATO ("Romania, the most important among the future NATO members"), November 20, 2002
  9. ^ Ministry of National Defence, Strategia de transformare a Armatei României ("Strategy for the transformation of the Romanian Army")
  10. ^ Ministry of National Defence, Strategia de transformare a Armatei României ("Strategy for the transformation of the Romanian Army")

[edit] External links

Sister project Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Military of Romania
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romanian_Armed_Forces"
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