There is a big scandal going on now in the UK in Romania concerning the purchase by the Romanian navy of two Type 22 frigates from the Royal Navy.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/armstrade/story/0,,1796377,00.html.
The frigates were bought from BAE - not the Royal Navy - for 116 millions british pounds, about three times more expensive than alternative offers. The Royal navy and the british tax payer got only 100,000 pounds for each frigate - price of scrap metal -. BAE got the rest. The Romanians got two fishing vessels.
The Romanians have bought two frigates with no weapons except a 76 mm oto melara gun, empty shells indeed with air conditioning,
: defined as an essential characteristic of the ships. Romanian press is furious and has opposed the deal since 2003 http://www.gandul.info/2006-06-13/nodul_marinaresc mentioning that the frigates are good only for fishing in the week end. Other type 22 frigates retired from the Royal navy have been sold to scrap (2), used as targets (2) or sold cheaper - to Chile -.
When they were purchased it was mentioned that it was a great step towards better operability of the ROmanian navy at NATO standards - Romania is a member since 2004- and the deal was supported and lobbyed for by the british officials including the former ambasssador of UK to Romania. Matter of factly, Q. Quayle, the ambassador was recalled to London this year and the SFO - serious fraude office - of the UK is investigating the case. It appears that over 7 millions british pounds were paid in bribes to british and romanian officials.
The irony of this is that Romania has its own design of frigates the Marasesti launched in the late 1980. It is a heavy ship which consumes 4 (four times) less fuel than the British scrap.The Romanian frigate has anti ship missiles - old but functional -, SAM - based on SA14 -, close defence system - 30 mmm multi gun -, torpedoe tubes, ASW mortars, a sonar, a 100 mm gun, a helicopter deck and hangar - Dauphin, Puma or Mi 8 helicopters can use them, and the navy is arming this helicopters with missiles -. In short the Romanian model is a heavy and operational ship which needed new missiles maybe but it compares favorably with the empty shells (type 22 frigates). In order to arm these frigates bought from BAE Romania needs to pay an additional 300 -400 millions euros, and the total cost of the modernised type 22 will reach a fortune in the high 800 millions euros. For this money Romania could have bought two brand new fully armed destroyers, Spruance classe US navy destroyers, MEKO destroyers or two lafayettes stealth frigates from the last generation
Typical example of politicians from the UK and Romania conspiring to steal the public interest.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/armstrade/story/0,,1796377,00.html.
The frigates were bought from BAE - not the Royal Navy - for 116 millions british pounds, about three times more expensive than alternative offers. The Royal navy and the british tax payer got only 100,000 pounds for each frigate - price of scrap metal -. BAE got the rest. The Romanians got two fishing vessels.
The Romanians have bought two frigates with no weapons except a 76 mm oto melara gun, empty shells indeed with air conditioning,
: defined as an essential characteristic of the ships. Romanian press is furious and has opposed the deal since 2003 http://www.gandul.info/2006-06-13/nodul_marinaresc mentioning that the frigates are good only for fishing in the week end. Other type 22 frigates retired from the Royal navy have been sold to scrap (2), used as targets (2) or sold cheaper - to Chile -.When they were purchased it was mentioned that it was a great step towards better operability of the ROmanian navy at NATO standards - Romania is a member since 2004- and the deal was supported and lobbyed for by the british officials including the former ambasssador of UK to Romania. Matter of factly, Q. Quayle, the ambassador was recalled to London this year and the SFO - serious fraude office - of the UK is investigating the case. It appears that over 7 millions british pounds were paid in bribes to british and romanian officials.
The irony of this is that Romania has its own design of frigates the Marasesti launched in the late 1980. It is a heavy ship which consumes 4 (four times) less fuel than the British scrap.The Romanian frigate has anti ship missiles - old but functional -, SAM - based on SA14 -, close defence system - 30 mmm multi gun -, torpedoe tubes, ASW mortars, a sonar, a 100 mm gun, a helicopter deck and hangar - Dauphin, Puma or Mi 8 helicopters can use them, and the navy is arming this helicopters with missiles -. In short the Romanian model is a heavy and operational ship which needed new missiles maybe but it compares favorably with the empty shells (type 22 frigates). In order to arm these frigates bought from BAE Romania needs to pay an additional 300 -400 millions euros, and the total cost of the modernised type 22 will reach a fortune in the high 800 millions euros. For this money Romania could have bought two brand new fully armed destroyers, Spruance classe US navy destroyers, MEKO destroyers or two lafayettes stealth frigates from the last generation
Typical example of politicians from the UK and Romania conspiring to steal the public interest.