BSDA 2018: Over 270 international defense industry companies in Romania.

As one of the most popular online Defense and Security magazine, Army Recognition editorial team with its Defense Web TV has covered the Black Sea Defense & Aerospace exhibition that was held in Bucharest (Romania) from the 16 to 18 May 2018. The BSDA 2018 is an International tri-service defense Exhibition and Conference dedicated to Defense, Aerospace, Homeland Security, Cyber Security and Safety & Security which takes place every 2 years in the capital of Romania.

The outside exhibition area of BSDA 2018, Black Sea Defense & Aerospace exhibition in Bucharest, Romania. May 17, 2018.  (Picture source Army Recognition)

Over 270 exhibitors from North America, Europe and Asia including 25 countries and military delegations from Saudi Arabia, Bulgaria, China, Croatia, Egypt, Lebanon, Lithuania, Pakistan, Portugal and Vietnam have attended the edition 2018 of BSDA, according to a press release published by the Romanian Ministry of Defense.

During the opening ceremony, the Romanian Minister of Defense Mihai Fifor said that BSDA defense exhibition Fair is an occasion for the Romanian State defense Companies to conclude advantageous partnerships that would bring back, through off-set programs, significant amounts of money to revive the national defense industry.

Romania is a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the European Union, and is a Strategic Partner of the United States. Romania has committed to the NATO guideline of spending at least 2.0% of GDP on defense for the following ten years.

In August 2017, Romania’s Supreme Defence Council (CSAT) has announced that the country would spend a total 9.8 billion euro ($11.6 billion) on modernizing its military under the new plan.

In June, the U.S. State Department said it approved the possible sale of seven Patriot missile defence systems worth $3.9 billion to Romania.

The BSDA is also an opportunity for the Romanian defense industry to showcase latest defense and security products fully designed and developed in Romania. Romania’s arms exports increased in 2017 compared to the year before, according to official statistics released by the government.

A report by the Foreign Ministry Of Romania said the value of arms exports in 2017 amounted to almost 187 million €. Bucharest also sold 263 million € worth of licenses. In 2016, Romania exported about 178 million € worth of weapons, about 57.3 million of which went to the Middle East.