On 28 May 2026, Leonardo announced that the Romanian Ministry of Internal Affairs has ordered two C-27J Spartan Next Generation tactical transport aircraft under the European SAFE (Security Action for Europe) instrument. The first delivery from this contract is scheduled for 2029.
The aircraft will be operated by the Ministry’s General Inspectorate of Aviation for emergency management, complex crisis response, civil protection and humanitarian support missions in Romania and across Europe. The package includes dedicated mission kits, logistical support, training and associated infrastructure, indicating a full capability build-up rather than a simple platform purchase.
This order increases Romania’s total C-27J fleet to nine aircraft and brings the global C-27J programme to 102 units ordered by 22 operators in 19 countries. These will be the first Next Generation C-27Js for Romania, complementing the Romanian Air Force’s C-27J fleet in service since 2010, which has accumulated more than 30,000 flight hours over roughly 28,000 missions including tactical transport, medical evacuation and firefighting.