President Nicusor Dan is visiting on Friday the Black Sea Defense, Aerospace and Security (BSDA) exhibition, the Presidential Administration informed.

The Black Sea Defense and Aerospace - BSDA, the leading event in the Black Sea region dedicated to the defence and security industry, opened on Wednesday in Bucharest at the Romaero Baneasa site.

According to a press release, the 10th edition, marking 20 years since its launch, is also the largest organised to date, bringing together more than 550 exhibiting companies from 36 countries. Alongside leaders of the global industry, more than 30,000 visitors and over 350 high-ranking Romanian and foreign officials are expected to attend throughout the three days of BSDA.

The first two days of the event are reserved exclusively for official, military and business visitors, while on the third day access to the outdoor exhibition will also be open to the general public.

Throughout all three days, participation in the event is also open to representatives of Romanian companies and local authorities, based on prior registration, in order to encourage partnerships and investment projects in Romania.

Well-known companies already supplying equipment to or targeting procurement programmes for the Romanian Army are taking part, including: Lockheed Martin - manufacturer of the fifth-generation F-35 multirole aircraft; Raytheon - manufacturer of the Patriot system; Hanwha Aerospace - supplier of K9 self-propelled howitzers; Otokar - manufacturer of Cobra armoured vehicles; Leonardo - manufacturer of the C-27J Spartan aircraft in service with the Romanian Air Force; Rafael - supplier of the Spyder air defence system; ASFAT - manufacturer of the Akhisar corvette, the first new vessel to enter service with the Romanian Naval Forces after 1990; alongside General Dynamics, L3Harris, Elbit Systems, Thales, Damen, Rheinmetall, Hyundai Rotem, MBDA and Airbus, as well as weapons manufacturers such as Beretta, SIG Sauer, FN Herstal, Glock and Colt.

The most significant presence once again comes from the United States, with 50 exhibiting companies, followed by Germany with 37 manufacturers, South Korea with 27 and Turkey and France with 21 companies each, while the Romanian industry is represented both by established defence companies such as Romarm, Aerostar, Pro Optica, BlueSpace Technology and MARCTEL, and by a broad participation of manufacturers from sectors with dual-use applications. This year's edition has attracted a larger number of companies interested in access to projects in the defence industry and in partnerships with international integrators attending BSDA.

According to the release, alongside the equipment and technologies presented by companies, the event is also hosting an exhibition of equipment used by the Romanian Army, including the Special Operations Forces, the Romanian Intelligence Service (SRI), the Special Telecommunications Service (STS), the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MAI) and the United States Army, as well as a series of thematic conferences dedicated to the five military operational areas.

This year's edition is held under the patronage of the President of Romania, Nicusor Dan.

The Ministry of National Defence (MApN) is participating in the BSDA with stands presenting educational opportunities and military career prospects. Outside, in the static exhibition area, the Romanian Army will showcase weapons and combat equipment to the public.

Among the exhibits, the Romanian Land Forces are displaying PIRANHA V troop carriers, 84M infantry fighting vehicles equipped with Spike missiles, the Gepard anti-aircraft system, BAYRAKTAR drones, VAMTAC S3 tactical vehicles, Cobra 2 light armoured tactical type vehicles, a HIMARS launch system and various types of radar systems.

The Special Operations Forces Command is presenting electro-optical and communications equipment, gear used for parachute and diving insertion operations, state-of-the-art combat systems, drones, weapons, electric motorcycles and ATVs.

The Romanian Air Force is exhibiting IAR 330 PUMA SOCAT and IAR 330 PUMA LRM helicopters, an F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft, a TPS 79 R mobile radar, an Explosive Ordnance Disposal - EOD vehicle, Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear - CBRN reconnaissance vehicles and a PATRIOT system, while F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft of the Romanian Army and Eurofighter Typhoon jets of the United Kingdom will fly over the capital.

The Naval Forces are represented by personnel and equipment from the 39th Divers Centre and the 307th Marine Infantry Regiment 'Heracleea,' while the 'Mircea cel Batran' Naval Academy will present the ASMINES research project, a surface naval drone developed in cooperation with economic partners.

In turn, the CBRN Defence and Ecology Research and Innovation Centre is exhibiting a chemical agent monitoring system using an unmanned platform, a ground-based robotic device for CBR decontamination and an unmanned aerial system for neutralising drifting sea mines found on the surface of the sea. The Navy Research and Innovation Centre will present an autonomous surface vehicle to the public.

The BSDA is organised by TNT Productions Romania, in partnership with the Ministry of National Defence, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Economy, Digitalisation, Entrepreneurship and Tourism, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs - ANCEX, the Ministry of Justice, the Romanian Intelligence Service, the Special Telecommunications Service, with the support of the United States Embassy in Bucharest. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Oana Ghita; EN - writing by: Rodica State)