DefMin Tilvar , meeting with Lockheed CEO Jim Taiclet

 Stimulating cooperation between companies such as Lockheed Martin and the Romanian defense industry through joint projects and technology transfer is a strategic priority, considers National Defense Minister Angel Tilvar, who met on Friday on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference with Lockheed CEO Jim Taiclet, a release informs."This direction is essential for developing the capabilities of the national defense industry and for increasing the engagement of Romanian companies in major military procurement and modernization programs," the minister said.Talks focused on analyzing the status of the ongoing programs for equipping the Romanian Army with high-tech systems produced by Lockheed Martin, and identifying ways to streamline the operationalization processes of those already in service, as essential aspects for consolidating national defense capabilities, with an emphasis on technology transfer and the development of Romania's defense industry.Angel Tlvar stressed that the National Defense Ministry remains "firmly committed to the decision to maximize the industrial cooperation opportunities opened up for the national economy by the equipping programs it plans and implements.""The development of Romania-based high-tech production capacities or co-opting local companies in carrying out maintenance processes throughout the life of the acquired hardware will contribute to increasing Romania's strategic resilience," the Defense Ministry states.The American side confirmed in this context its interest in intensifying industrial cooperation with Romania, with the potential to generate new highly skilled jobs in the local defense industry and to stimulate economic growth in this key sector.The Lockheed Martin CEO also reaffirmed the commitment to supporting Romania by speeding up the delivery schedule of the contracted equipment. Minister Tilvar emphasized the high quality of the Lockheed Martin products and highlighted the company's significant contribution to the transformation and modernization process of the Romanian Army throughout the 27 years of cooperation.Among the successful joint projects currently underway is the hosting by Romania of the European F-16 Training Center that provides a top-standard training setting for Romanian pilots and those from partner states, including Ukraine, with access to state-of-the-art technical resources and expertise.On this occasion, the defense minister reaffirmed the fact that for the ninth consecutive year, Romania allocates over 2% of GDP for Defense, with over 20% of the amount intended for major procurements of modern equipment, thus emphasizing the continuity and predictability of investments in strengthening national and regional security.