The strategic cooperation between Türkiye and Romania in the field of defence industry has reached a new stage. Following the Government-to-Government Agreement signed in December 2025, the HISAR-class corvette Contraamiral August Roman (261) was delivered within six months of contract signature and has entered the inventory of the Romanian Naval Forces — the first new large combat vessel to join the fleet in more than three decades.
Delivered under the coordination of ASFAT, Contraamiral August Roman gives the Romanian Naval Forces a modern, multi-role platform for a wide range of missions — surveillance, reconnaissance, patrol, maritime interdiction and search and rescue, as well as surface, anti-air and anti-submarine operations, including the operation of an embarked helicopter. The vessel enters service in an initial operational configuration and is designed for phased capability growth, allowing further combat and sensor systems to be integrated over its service life.
Approximately 99.5 metres in length and displacing around 2,300 tonnes, with a top speed above 24 knots, the ship is equipped with a 76 mm main gun, remotely operated weapon stations, a fire-control radar with an integrated electro-optical sensor, electronic-warfare systems, a hull-mounted sonar and an integrated, NATO-interoperable communications suite.
At a time when delivery schedules in defence industry projects often extend over several years, the delivery of this vessel — within six months of the Government-to-Government contract — once again demonstrated the advanced level reached by the Turkish shipbuilding industry in engineering, integration, production and project management, and confirmed Türkiye's reliability as an international defence partner that fulfils its commitments on time.
The entry of a new ship into the service of the Naval Forces is a concrete step that strengthens our defence capacity in the Black Sea, as Romanian authorities have underlined framing the acquisition as a direct contribution to the protection of the country's maritime and critical energy infrastructure, including offshore assets in the Black Sea.
This delivery carries particular significance for Black Sea security. Türkiye and Romania are not only two littoral states of the Black Sea, but also two strategic allies sharing common security responsibilities on NATO's eastern flank. In a regional environment that requires greater solidarity, rapid response and sustainable defence capacity, this project further strengthens defence cooperation between the two countries.
Musa HeybetDeputy Minister of National Defence of the Republic of TürkiyeChairman of the Board of ASFAT: “This delivery stands as a concrete reflection of the strong defence cooperation between Türkiye and Romania. As ASFAT, under the assurance of the Ministry of National Defence of the Republic of Türkiye, we are proud to contribute to the security architecture of our region and to further strengthen our strategic partnership with Romania.”
Prof. Dr. Mustafa İlbaş, CEO of ASFAT: “The delivery of the CAm. ROMAN Corvette within such a short timeframe demonstrates ASFAT’s project management capability, engineering strength and commitment to its international partners. We are pleased to see this modern platform join the Romanian Naval Forces inventory, and we will continue to contribute to the operational capabilities of friendly and allied countries.”
The approximately 180-nautical-mile distance between the Port of Constanța and Istanbul makes Türkiye a natural and advantageous solution partner for Romania in the field of naval platforms. This geographical proximity offers significant advantages for the Romanian Naval Forces in terms of logistics support, maintenance and repair, modernization, training, spare parts supply and operational sustainability.
With its NATO-compliant production capabilities, strong defence industry infrastructure, geographical proximity and proven delivery performance, Türkiye stands out as a long-term partner for Romania's current and future naval platform requirements. As a company affiliated with the Ministry of National Defence of the Republic of Türkiye and fully owned by the state, ASFAT operates not merely as a contractor, but as a strategic defence industry organization providing solutions within the framework of Government-to-Government Agreements — adding a dimension of state assurance and institutional continuity to this cooperation.
The entry of Contraamiral August Roman into the inventory of the Romanian Naval Forces marks an important milestone: it is not only the commissioning of a warship, but also a signal of deepening defence industry cooperation and long-term strategic partnership between Türkiye and Romania in the Black Sea.
About ASFAT
ASFAT Inc. is a defence industry company affiliated with the Ministry of National Defence of the Republic of Türkiye and fully owned by the state. By effectively utilizing the capabilities of military factories and shipyards, ASFAT conducts design, production, maintenance, repair, modernization, logistics support and export activities across land, naval and air platforms. Within the framework of Government-to-Government Agreements, ASFAT provides reliable, sustainable and state-assured solutions to the defence needs of friendly and allied countries.
