Romanian Naval Forces ๐ท๐ด
Key facts
| Official Name | Romanian Naval Forces |
| Country | ๐ท๐ด Romania |
| World rank | #54 |
| Ships in service | 32 (as of 2026) |
| Total ships | 38 |
| Naval ensign |
Number of active ships by category
| Ship category | Active | |
|---|---|---|
| Corvettes | 8 | |
| Coastal boats | 8 | |
| Mine Warfare ships | 7 | |
| Support ships | 6 | |
| Submarines | 4 | |
| Frigates | 3 | |
| Patrol boats | 2 | |
Global Navy Index
| ๐ข Capital Ships | 0 | Aircraft carriers & cruisers (highest weight) |
| โ Major Combatants | 3 | Destroyers, submarines & frigates |
| ๐ค Light Combatants | 7 | Corvettes & amphibious vessels |
| โต Minor Vessels | 16 | Patrol, coastal & mine warfare |
| ๐ Total Active | 32 | Combat vessels (auxiliaries excluded) |
Methodology: Square root scaled index weighted by ship combat capability. Capital ships score highest due to force projection capability. Auxiliary vessels are excluded.
Overview
The Romanian Naval Forces center their maritime strategy on the defense of sovereign waters in the Black Sea and the protection of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), with specific emphasis on offshore energy infrastructure in the Neptun Deep sector. The national defense doctrine prioritizes the security of the maritime flank of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the maintenance of free navigation along the Danube River, which serves as a strategic inland waterway. Secondary missions include search and rescue, maritime law enforcement, and participation in international crisis management operations.
The fleet is structured around a core of surface combatants consisting of Type 22 frigates, the *Regele Ferdinand* and *Regina Maria*, and the domestically constructed frigate *Mฤrฤศeศti*. Corvette capabilities are maintained through the *Admiral Petre Bฤrbuneanu* and *Rear-Admiral Eustaศiu Sebastian* classes. For riverine operations, the navy operates a specialized flotilla of armored monitors and patrol craft designed for the Danube environment. The submarine force is currently non-operational, consisting of a single Kilo-class vessel, *Delfinul*, though there are active programs to reconstitute this capability. Naval aviation assets consist of IAR-330 Puma Naval helicopters, which are equipped for anti-submarine warfare, maritime surveillance, and medical evacuation.
Domestic shipbuilding remains centered at the Galaศi and Mangalia shipyards, which operate in collaboration with international defense contractors. Recent procurement focuses on mine countermeasures and coastal defense capabilities. In 2025, the navy expanded its fleet with the acquisition of *Sandown*-class minehunters from the United Kingdom to address the threat of drifting sea mines in the Black Sea. Furthermore, the defense ministry is currently executing a program to deploy Naval Strike Missile (NSM) coastal defense batteries. Ongoing modernization efforts for 2026 include the acquisition of diesel-electric submarines, with the *Scorpรจne*-class being the selected platform for procurement to restore underwater strike and surveillance functions.
Detailed inventory of Romanian Navy
Coastal boats
| Type | Class | Ship Name | Hull Number | Status | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| River monitor | Mihail Kogฤlniceanu | (3 ships) | Active | - | |
| Riverine armored patrol boat | Smรขrdan | (5 ships) | Active | - |
Corvettes
| Type | Class | Ship Name | Hull Number | Status | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Missile corvette | Tarantul | Zborul | NPR 188 | Active | - |
| Tarantul | Pescฤruศul | NPR 189 | Active | - | |
| Tarantul | Lฤstunul | NPR 190 | Active | - | |
| Multipurpose corvette | Tetal-I | Vice-Amiral Eugeniu Roศca | Cvt 263 | Active | - |
| Tetal-I | Amiral Petre Bฤrbuneanu | Cvt 260 | Active | - | |
| Tetal-II | Contraamiral Eustaศiu Sebastian | Cvt 264 | Active | - | |
| Tetal-II | Contraamiral Horia Macellariu | Cvt 265 | Active | - | |
| Light multirole corvette | Hisar | Planned | - |
Frigates
| Type | Class | Ship Name | Hull Number | Status | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Multipurpose Frigate | Mฤrฤศeศti | Mฤrฤศeศti | F-111 | Active | - |
| Type 22 | Regele Ferdinand | F-221 | Active | - | |
| Type 22 | Regina Maria | F-222 | Active | - |
Mine Warfare ships
| Type | Class | Ship Name | Hull Number | Status | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minelayer | Cosar | Viceamiral Constantin Bฤlescu | PM-274 | Active | - |
| Minesweeper | Musca | Lt. Lupu Dinescu | DM-25 | Active | - |
| Musca | Lt. Dimitrie Nicolescu | DM-29 | Active | - | |
| Musca | Slt. Alexandru Axente | DM-30 | Active | - | |
| Minehunter | Sandown | Sublocotenent Ion Ghiculescu | M270 | Active | - |
| Sandown | Cฤpitan Constantin Dumitrescu | M271 | Active | - | |
| Minesweeper | Musca | Lt. Remus Lepri | DM-24 | Non Commissioned | - |
Patrol boats
| Type | Class | Ship Name | Hull Number | Status | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diving Patrol Boat | - | Saturn | Active | - | |
| - | Venus | Active | - |
Submarines
| Type | Class | Ship Name | Hull Number | Status | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conventional Submarine | Kilo | Delfinul | S-521 | Non Commissioned | 1986 |
| Attack submarine | Scorpรจne | (3 ships) | Planned | - |
Support ships
| Type | Class | Ship Name | Hull Number | Status | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diving Support Vessel | - | Grigore Antipa | Active | - | |
| Diver Support and Intervention Vessel | - | Grozavul | Active | - | |
| Combat Diver Logistics Support Ship | - | Midia | Active | - | |
| Command River Ship | - | MUREศ | Active | - | |
| Training ship | Blohm & Voss | Mircea | Active | 1938 | |
| Constanศa | Constanศa | Active | - |