Romanian Naval Forces
This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (July 2011) |
Romanian Naval Forces Forţele Navale Române | |
---|---|
Founded | 22 October 1860 as the Flotilla Corps |
Country | Romania |
Part of | Romanian Armed Forces |
Command HQ | Statul Major al Forţelor Navale – Bucharest |
Commanders | |
Commander-in-Chief of the Romanian Naval Forces Staff | Vice Admiral Aurel Popa |
Insignia | |
Roundel | |
Naval jack | |
Military colors |
The Romanian Navy (Romanian: Forţele Navale Române) is the navy branch of the Romanian Armed Forces; it operates in the Black Sea and on the Danube.
History
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Following the end of World War I and the re-purchase of two Mărăşti class destroyers from Italy, the Romanian Government decided to order two more modern destroyers from the Pattison Yard in Naples. The design was based on the British Shakespeare class destroyer leaders, and the two ships became the Regele Ferdinand class destroyers. The guns were supplied by Bofors and the fire control equipment by Siemens.
During World War II, the Royal Romanian Navy (active in Black Sea campaigns (1941–1944)) consisted of four destroyers (two Mărăşti-class, two Regele Ferdinand-class), six fleet torpedo boats, three submarines (Delfinul/The Dolphin, Rechinul/The Shark and Marsuinul/The Sea Hog), five midget submarines (CB class),[3] two minelayers and seven motor torpedo boats.
The two Regele Ferdinand class destroyers were the most powerful surface units available to the Axis powers during the naval war in the Black Sea but were mostly used for convoy escort and in 1944 were used in the evacuation of the Crimea by the Axis. On the capitulation of Romania in August 1944, the two ships were incorporated into the Soviet Black Sea Fleet as the Likhoy (Лихой, ex Ferdinand) and the Letuchiy (Летучий, ex Maria). They were returned in 1951 and served under the numbers D21 and D22 with the Romanian Naval Forces of the Romanian People's Republic until the end of the 1950s.
Current status
The Romanian Navy includes three frigates: Mărăşeşti, Regele Ferdinand and Regina Maria. Mărăşeşti used to be the flagship of the Romanian Navy since 1985 until 2004 when Regele Ferdinand (formerly HMS Coventry) became the new flagship. The navy also contains 4 large corvettes as its main force, along with many auxiliary ships and fluvial patrol boats.[4][5]
After the restructuring of the Romanian Armed Forces (planned for 2007), ca. 6,800 men and women serve in the Romanian Navy. The main base of the Romanian Navy is located at Constanţa. The current chief of the Romanian Navy, succeeding Vice Admiral Dorin Dănilă on 3 July 2010, is Vice Admiral Aurel Popa.
The Romanian Naval Forces ordered three IAR 330 Puma Naval helicopters, with the last one being commissioned in December 2008. The helicopters are in a similar configuration to those of the Romanian Air Force, including the SOCAT upgrade package; the Navy Pumas also have flotation gear fitted under the nose and main undercarriage fairings. They are currently operated from Navy frigates for search and rescue, medevac and maritime surveillance missions.
The 307th Marine Battalion ('Batalionul 307 Infanterie Marină') is the light infantry/reconnaissance unit of the Romanian Navy.[citation needed] It is located in Babadag, Tulcea County, and it was formed in the mid 1970s for the defence of the Danube Delta and Romanian Black Sea shore. "The 307 Marine Battalion is destined to carry out military operations in an amphibious river and lagoon environment, the security of objectives in the coastal area, the Danube Delta and the support of local authorities in case of a civil emergency."[6] Its base is near the largest military training range in Romania.
Fleet
Sea Fleet
Frigates (FFG)
- Regele Ferdinand (F-221)
- Mărăşeşti (F-111) Note that the Mărăşeşti destroyer has been relegated to frigate status due to its operational capabilities, but technically remains a destroyer.
- Regina Maria (F-222)
Corvettes (FS)
- Amiral Petre Bărbureanu (Tetal-I) (F-260)
- Contra-Amiral Eugen Roşca (Tetal-I) (F-263)
- Contra-Amiral Eustaţiu Sebastian (Tetal-II) (F-264)
- Contra-Amiral Horia Măcelaru (Tetal-II) (F-265)
Missile corvettes (PSO)
- Zborul (Tarantul-I) class large missile boats:
- Zborul (F-188)
- Pescăruşul (F-189)
- Lăstunul (F-190)
Fast Attack Crafts
- Năluca (Epitrop) (Romanian-built variant of the Osa class) class torpedo boats:
- Smeul (F-202)
- Vijelia (F-204)
- Vulcanul (F-209)
Mine Warfare
- Vice-Amiral Ioan Murgescu (Cosar) class minelayers:
- Vice-Amiral Ioan Murgescu (F-271)
- Lt. Remus Lepri (Musca) Class Minesweepers:
- Lt. Remus Lepri (F-24)
- Lt. Lupu Dinescu (F-25)
- Lt. Dimitrie Nicolescu (F-29)
- SLt. Alexandru Axente (F-30)
Auxiliary Ships
- Vice-Amiral Ioan Murgescu (Cosar) Class MCM Command/Support:
- Vice-Amiral Constantin Balescu (F-274)
- Logistic Support Training Ship "Constanta" (F-281)
- salvage and rescue ships – 5
- the "Emil Racoviţă" electronic surveillance ship
- Special Ships Division – 9
- the Training ship "Mircea"
Decommissioned ships
- Delfinul – Kilo class submarine, in storage since 1995 (overhaul needed).
- 1 logistic ship
- 2 Admiral Petre Bărbuneanu class corvettes
- 3 Osa class missile boats
- 9 Năluca (Epitrop) class torpedo boats
- 1 minelayer
River Fleet
- Mihail Kogălniceanu class river patrol monitors – 3
- "Mihail Kogălniceanu" (F-45)
- "Ion C. Brătianu" (F-46)
- "Lascăr Catargiu" (F-47)
- Smârdan (Brutar-II) class river patrol monitors – 5
- VB 76 class small river patrol monitors – 18
Land equipment
Anti-ship missiles
- P-20M mobile launching systems;
Ranks and insignia
See also
- Admiral Petre Bărbuneanu class frigate (demoted to corvette)
- Mărăşti class destroyer
References
- ^ CIA World Factbook, Military of Romania
- ^ a b Template:Ro icon MoND Budget as of 2007, Ziarul Financiar, October 30, 2006
- ^ http://www.historia.ro/exclusiv_web/10-lucruri/articol/submarinele-romanesti
- ^ NATO Order of Battle: Naval Vessels
- ^ World Navies Today: Romania
- ^ http://www.navy.ro/en/index1.html