Romanian General Army Staff becomes General Defense Staff

2017 was an important year for the Romanian Army, a year that has been dominated by adaptations to the new challenges to the Euro-Atlantic security, Chief of the Romanian General Staff, Gen.Nicolae Ciucă declared in an interview offered to Radio Romania Actualități (RRA, Radio Romania News).

Romanian General Army Staff is currently reorganized, it turns to the General Defense Staff and will have new Commands, Gen. Ciucă said. In the field of military procurement, eight important projects have been approved for the equipment of the Romanian Armed Forces. Two of these are certain already, General Ciucă added.

Nicolae Ciucă: "Today, it is as clear as possible that the first two programs - the Air Defense Program and the 8x8 conveyor Program - will be launched this year, which gives us hope and optimism in ensuring the coherence of the supply programs".

On the occasion of the Day of the Romanian Army on October 25, General Nicolae Ciucă was invited to Radio Romania Actualități and offered RRA Reporter Radu Dobrițoiu an interview in the „Morning Call” („Apel Matinal”) Show (excerpts):

RRA Reporter: This year, the General Army Staff will turn into the General Defense Staff. What does this change of title involve?

Gen.Nicolae Ciucă: It is not just a change of title, it is about new areas of responsibility that fall within the competence of the Defense Staff. It is an institutional adaptation problem in line with the new challenges. The cyber field has been recognized as a new confrontational environment, and in this sense, all elements cyber defense in reference to the military field will be the responsibility of the Defense Staff. They are also elements that come and complement the contribution of the Romanian Army to what is meant to increase national resilience.

RRA Reporter: Security environment in Romania’s proximity has considerably changed since you took over the most important military command function. How does the Romanian Army adapt to these challenges?

Gen.Nicolae Ciucă: Security environment is changing almost every day, rhythm and dynamics are hardly predictable, which is why there is a need for anticipation and a lot of vision, to ensure national security. The Romanian Armed Forces prepared and carried out a whole series of processes that aimed both at the structural transformation and adaptation of small and large units of the Romanian Armed Forces to all categories of forces and, together with our strategic allies, we also carried out an extensive process of training that led to an increase of our presence and participation in exercises inside and outside the national territory; these activities ensure both the increase of the level of training, especially of the interoperability, an attribute we need to maintain as balanced as possible in reference to compatibility of combat capabilities.

Source:RRA.Translated by Miruna Matei