PRESS RELEASE – OPIA ROMANIA launches a strong call for investment and industrial co-development at the 2026 French-Romanian Security and Defence Forum
Bucharest, 8 September 2026.
The Romanian Defence Industry Employers’ Organisation (OPIA) reaffirmed, at the third edition of the French-Romanian Security & Defence Business Forum, the strategic role of the Romanian defence industry in strengthening security on the Eastern Flank and emphasised the importance of developing European industrial resilience.
The event, held at the Dacia Business Centre, was organised in partnership with Business France and the French Embassy in Bucharest and brought together representatives of the defence industry, Romanian and French companies, as well as decision-makers interested in developing industrial and technological cooperation between the two countries.
During the opening panel, dedicated to strengthening defence capabilities through European industrial cooperation, Răzvan Pîrcălăbescu, President of OPIA and General Director of the National Company ROMARM SA, presented OPIA’s perspective on the development of the Romanian defence industry, with a focus on investment, technology transfer and the creation of competitive production capacities.
OPIA Romania has the potential to become an industrial hub for the defence of the Eastern Flank
OPIA aims to contribute actively to the reindustrialization of the Romanian defense sector and its integration into European and transatlantic value chains. The organisation currently brings together 129 members and over 50,000 specialists and supports the strategic objective of the national defense industry reaching a contribution of 5 per cent of GDP.
OPIA’s strategy aims not only to increase public defence spending but also to channel investment into industrial capabilities that can generate added value and revenue for the Romanian economy and the state budget.
In this context, OPIA advocates diverting significant portions of the funds earmarked for defence towards the development of domestic production and towards projects that can strengthen Romania’s capacity to supply the necessary equipment and technologies to its own armed forces and to its partners in NATO and the European Union.
One of OPIA’s strategic objectives is to capitalize on existing capabilities within Romanian civilian industries, particularly in the automotive sector and the software and IT industries, for the development of applications and technologies intended for the defence sector.
This reorientation may enable the rapid expansion of production capacities, the utilisation of existing infrastructure and expertise, and the integration of advanced technologies into the development of military equipment and systems.
This year’s edition of the forum was attended by 30 OPIA member companies, demonstrating the diversity and technological capabilities of the defence industrial ecosystem.
The companies present cover sectors such as land vehicles, infrastructure and shipbuilding, represented by firms including UMB, Carfil, Rheinmetall Automecanica, Mangalia Shipyard, IRUM, ALRO Slatina, UZINSIDER and COMELF S.A.
In the field of advanced technologies, unmanned systems and digitalisation, companies such as SC INTELLDRONES SRL and AGRICLOUD – with expertise in unmanned aerial systems and IoT sensors – are represented, alongside TOP Metrology, which specialises in 3D metrology, as well as Power Net Consulting and Greensoft, active in cyber security and IT integration. In the field of tactical logistics, OXO NETWORK CORPORATION and TWOMAR GROUP are present.
The ecosystem is rounded off by companies specialising in mechatronics and high-precision components, CNC machining and die-casting, including COMPA S.A., ELMEC, TPS COM SRL, S.C. NICMAR-DANCI SRL, Miller Manufacturing, Altur, Comboteh, OIL SERVICES LTD and Limex.
Cooperation with French industry, from partnerships to concrete projects
Cooperation between the Romanian and French defence industries is one of the key areas of development promoted by OPIA.
The organisation’s member companies collaborate with leading French groups in fields such as cyber security, radar systems, the aerospace industry, secure military communications, propulsion systems, and the mobility of land and naval forces. Partners active in these fields include renowned companies such as Thales, Airbus, Roxel and CNIM.
The presence of major French groups, such as Thales and Expleo, as members or partners of the OPIA ecosystem, is also an indicator of the potential for developing bilateral industrial cooperation.
A concrete example of this cooperation is the development, in Brașov, of a Centre of Excellence for drone pilots, established in partnership with the French group DCI (Defense Conseil International). The project is part of the trend towards the accelerated development of capabilities based on unmanned systems and of efforts to adapt the defence industry to new technologies and evolving operational requirements.
Romania has an industrial infrastructure ready for joint development
OPIA informs its French partners and investors that Romania has an industrial base that can be utilised to develop new production capacities, undertake joint development projects and integrate advanced technologies.
A key advantage is access to European and Euro-Atlantic funding and development mechanisms for the defence industry. These include the European Defence Fund (EDF), the Horizon Europe programme, as well as NATO initiatives such as NIAG (NATO Industrial Advisory Group) and DIANA.
At the same time, OPIA views the SAFE programme as a key tool for developing industrial capabilities and strengthening critical supply chains. For French investors and companies, the framework provided by these mechanisms can help to reduce the risks associated with investment and accelerate the transition from joint research and development to the actual production of defence equipment and technologies in Romania.
By participating in the French-Romanian Security & Defence Business Forum 2026, OPIA reaffirms its commitment to facilitating dialogue between Romanian industry and international partners.
