The Ministry of National Defense, through C.N. Romtehnica S.A. and the Elbit Systems Ltd Company from Israel signed on Tuesday, December 20, a framework agreement for the supply of “at most” seven military drones for the Romanian army. “The framework agreement has a duration of five years and is aimed at awarding subsequent contracts for the supply of up to seven Watchkeeper X UAS systems for a total value of approx. 1,891 billion lei, excluding VAT. The supply of the seven Watchkeeper X UAS Systems, which will be part of the Romanian Army, will be carried out under the conditions of protecting the essential security interest of the Romanian state, the company Elbit Systems Ltd being obliged, according to the agreement, to realize and consolidate on the national territory, at the level of some economic operators in the defense industry, a production, integration, testing and maintenance capacity in the military field for the delivered systems”, according to a press release from the Romanian Ministry of Defence. Thus, starting with the first UAS Watchkeeper X system, the production of the structure of the aerial platform and the production of the structure of the ground command-control station container, as well as the production of electrical and mechanical components from the composition of the system will be carried out on the territory of Romania, at economic operators from the national industry defense. Also, starting with the third Watchkeeper X UAS system, the production of all electrical and mechanical systems related to it will be carried out in Romania, through economic operators from the national defense industry. At the same time, complex level maintenance operations during the life cycle of UAS Watchkeeper X systems will be carried out by economic operators from the national defense industry, so that in crisis and war situations it is not necessary to perform these operations outside the national territory, MApN also informs.