More power to the Pumas

The Royal Air Force is about to take delivery of one of its newly upgraded helicopters from the Eurocopter plant at Ghimbav, near Brasov. I was there on Friday to see the helicopter make its first flight post-upgrade, along with Romania’s Prime Minister Victor Ponta and Lord Davies, chairman of the All-Party Group on Romania in the Houses of Parliament.

This is the first of twenty helicopters that are being fitted with new, more powerful engines and equipment ideal for longer range operations or for deployment in hot climatic conditions. The team at Eurocopter Romania are doing a great job in carrying out this upgrade programme, building on their long experience with Puma helicopters (the IAR plant at Ghimbav has been building and equipping Pumas since the 1970s).

It’s a good example of Smart Defence – how, as allies and partners in NATO and the EU, Britain and Romania can share our respective expertise in defence and in our defence industries to develop the kind of forces and capabilities we need for the future.

Romania is a trusted partner for the UK on security and defence, because Romania is prepared to play a full and active part in NATO and EU operations. And the Royal Air Force has also been glad to entrust its fleet of Puma helicopters to Eurocopter Romania to kit them out for the joint challenges our armed forces will face in the years to come.