Romanian corvette Contraamiral Roman

Scale model of the Romanian Hisar-class light corvette
Turkey
NameTCG Akhisar
NamesakeAkhisar, Turkey
BuilderASFAT
Laid down15 August 2021
Launched23 September 2023
Maiden voyage12 December 2024
IdentificationPennant number: P-1220
FateSold to Romania
Romania
NameContraamiral Roman
NamesakeCounter admiral August Roman
Acquired3 December 2025
Commissioned20 June 2026
Identification
StatusIn active service
Badge
General characteristics
Class & typeHisar-class offshore patrol vessel/corvette
Displacement2,300 tonnes[1]
Length99.56 m (326 ft 8 in)[1]
Beam14.42 m (47 ft 4 in)[1]
Draught3.77 m (12 ft 4 in)[1]
Propulsion
  • CODELOD:[1]
  • 4 x diesel engines
  • 2 x electric motor
  • Generators:
  • 4 x diesel generator
Speed
  • Maximum: 24 kn (44 km/h; 28 mph)[1]
  • Cruise: 12 kn (22 km/h; 14 mph)[1]
Range4,500 nmi (8,300 km; 5,200 mi)[1]
Endurance21 days[1]
Boats & landing
craft carried		2 x RHIB[2]
Crew104[2]
Sensors &
processing systems
  • Sonar: Meteksan Yakamos 2020 New Generation Mounted Sonar[2]
  • Radars:
  • Aselsan MAR-D 3D Search Radar[2]
  • Aselsan 2 AKR-D Fire Control Radar[2]
  • Navigation/LPI Radar[1]
Armament
Aircraft carried

Contraamiral Roman (Cvt 261) is a Hisar-class light corvette in service with the Romanian Navy. Originally built as TCG Akhisar (P-1220) by ASFAT as part of the MILGEM project of the Turkish Navy,[8] she was purchased by the Romanian Navy on 3 December 2025.

History

Contraamiral Roman, originally named TCG Akhisar,[9] was laid down on 15 August 2021 at the Istanbul Naval Shipyard as the lead ship of the Hisar-class offshore patrol vessels. She was launched on 23 September 2023 and carried out her maiden voyage on 12 December 2024, beginning sea trials shortly after.[10]

After the failure of the multi-mission corvette program following disagreements on the price of constructing the ships with Naval Group in 2023, the Romanian Navy sought a fast replacement for its program, a "light corvette-type ship capable of executing a multitude of missions in the shortest possible time". In late 2024, the Romanian Ministry of Defence confirmed that the selected ship was an already built Hisar class from Turkey. Following the approval of the purchase by the Romanian Supreme Council of National Defence in March 2025,[11] the final contract was signed on 3 December 2025, for approximately €223 million.[12]

The ship is to be outfitted in a Romanian shipyard as a light corvette, with different systems compared to its standard OPV configuration according to the Romanian Navy specifications. One such system being the Naval Strike Missile anti-ship missile.[11][12] As of May 2026, the ship was conducting training with Romanian crews.[13] Contraamiral August Roman was officially commissioned in Romanian Navy service on 20 June 2026 and was assigned to the 50th Corvette Divizion.[4]

The corvette arrived in the Port of Constanța on 10 July 2026.[14] While on the voyage from Istanbul to Constanța, she also transported minister Radu Miruță who was returning from the 2026 Ankara NATO summit.[15]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "ASFAT". asfat.com.tr. Archived from the original on 2 May 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Hisar Sınıfı Açık Deniz Karakol Gemileri". 18 November 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Victor Cozmei (31 July 2025). ""Drone pe toate planurile". Șeful Marinei detaliază noua strategie a României. "O schimbare majoră" / Lecțiile învățate din războiul din Ucraina". HotNews (in Romanian).
  4. 1 2 "Corveta "Contraamiral August Roman" – 261 a intrat în serviciul Forțelor Navale Române". radioconstanta.ro (in Romanian). 20 June 2026.
  5. ↑ Corveta de 223 de milioane de euro va putea fi văzută de Ziua Marinei. "Contraamiral August Roman" participă în premieră. tvrinfo.ro (in Romanian). 13 August 2026. Event occurs at 0:45.
  6. ↑ "Șeful Forțelor Navale Române: „Există motive care mă țin noaptea treaz". Adevărul despre pericolul minelor marine și amenințarea Rusiei". adevarul.ro (in Romanian). 2026-04-02. Retrieved 2026-05-10.
  7. ↑ Ștefan Munteanu (15 August 2026). "România primește primele rachete NSM pentru navele de război / Corveta 261 și cele două fregate vor fi înarmate cu noile sisteme". g4media.ro (in Romanian).
  8. ↑ "Hisar Sınıfı Açık Deniz Karakol Gemileri". Mavi Vatan (in Turkish). 18 November 2022. Retrieved 2 May 2023.
  9. ↑ "Noua corvetă ușoară din clasa HISAR se pregătește pentru marșul spre țară". ziuaconstanta.ro (in Romanian). 13 May 2026.
  10. ↑ Tayfun Ozberk (13 December 2024). "Turkiye's first indigenous Hisar-class OPV starts sea trials". navalnews.com.
  11. 1 2 Victor Cozmei (16 April 2025). "De ce cumpără România o corvetă ușoară din Turcia: Primele explicații oficiale și detalii despre achiziție". HotNews (in Romanian).
  12. 1 2 Tayfun Ozberk (3 December 2025). "Türkiye Finalizes Export of Hisar-Class Light Corvette to Romania". navalnews.com.
  13. ↑ "Corveta de 220 de miloane de euro a Forțelor Navale Române a ieșit la teste, în Turcia. Livrarea e planificată pentru luna iunie". euronews.ro (in Romanian). 13 May 2026.
  14. ↑ "Noua corvetă "Contraamiral August Roman" – 261 a sosit în portul militar". radioconstanta.ro. 10 July 2026.
  15. ↑ "Romanian minister to sail home from NATO summit in new corvette". Euractiv. 7 July 2026.
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