Thales to supply deployable radars to Romanian Air Force
The group announced on October 27, 2026 that deployable surveillance and approach systems, with dual civil and military use, will be supplied to Romanian air forces. The program aims to strengthen air traffic control across Romanian territory and the country's interoperability with NATO on the Eastern Flank of the Alliance.
Four Ground Controlled Approach systems for the Romanian Air Force
The core of the program is based on four deployable Ground Controlled Approach (GCA) radar systems. According to Thales, they will provide air traffic controllers with real-time information on aircraft position relative to the runway axis and approach trajectory, when visual references are limited.
These equipments are intended for Romanian Air Force personnel to manage aircraft movements in demanding operational environments. The press release notably mentions areas where fixed infrastructure may be absent or insufficient, which explains the choice of a mobile solution.
A primary S-band radar combined with NATO and civil identification
The system is based on the STAR NG, a primary S-band radar designed for approach control, with coverage reaching 60 nautical miles. It is complemented by the RSM NG/IFF, which combines in a single system NATO Mode 5 interrogations, EUROCONTROL Mode S and ADS-B detection, in order to identify aircraft according to military and civil standards.
Thales will also install four precision approach radar (PAR) systems for the approach and landing phases of all types of aircraft, including in low visibility conditions. The group specifies that these systems were designed to be cybersecure and comply with the latest recommendations from EUROCONTROL and ICAO.
A deployment conducted with the Romanian Ministry of National Defence
The program will rely on Thales's local teams in Romania, working with the Ministry of National Defence and local stakeholders on the deployment, integration and long-term availability of equipment. The group states that it has delivered over 1,200 air traffic control and surveillance systems in more than 100 countries, in nearly 60 years of activity in this field.
"By choosing our dual-use deployable radars, Romania will be able to rely on the robustness and reliability of our military air traffic control solutions," said Lionel de Castellane, Vice President of Air and Coastal Traffic Radars at Thales. The group, which has more than 85,000 employees in 65 countries, achieved revenue of 22.1 billion euros in 2025.
