MBDA negotiates manufacturing of attack drones in Romania

The French company MBDA intends for our country to become one of the major producers of kamikaze drones of the "Shahed” type, at a time when Europe is feverishly accelerating rearmament and seeking quick solutions for modern warfare, dominated by swarm attacks and cheap ammunition capable of exhausting air defenses. At the Black Sea Defence&Aerospace 2026 military exhibition in Bucharest, which took place last week on the Romaero platform, MBDA's vice president for Europe, Arnaud Rousset, declared, in a press briefing, that the group is already in talks with Romanian companies for the local manufacturing of the One Way Effector drone, the "one-way attack” ammunition developed by Europeans after the devastating lessons of the war in Ukraine and after the efficiency demonstrated by the Iranian Shahed drones, massively used by Russia.

Arnaud Rousset said: "You may be wondering what role Romania has in this product. We believe that this type of drone could be manufactured here, in Romania, and we are willing to locate production in your country. That is why we are in advanced discussions with several Romanian companies to produce the drone here.”

The statement is extremely relevant because it marks one of the most explicit openings by a major Western arms manufacturer towards Romanian industry, in a strategic sector in which rapid production capacity has become almost as important as the technology itself. According to Rousset, the targeted partners do not come exclusively from the classic military industry, but also from the automotive industry, a sign that the industrial model pursued by MBDA is directly inspired by high-volume production, specific to the civilian sector.

"The key point is to produce in mass, at a good quality. So, this is exactly the type of discussion we are having here, in Romania,” said the company representative, in a message indicating that our country could become part of a European network of accelerated production for new generation ammunition.

According to the MBDA representative, our country still has industrial infrastructure, lower costs than those in Western Europe and a developed automotive sector, which can be adapted relatively quickly to manufacture standardized components needed for attack drones.

The One Way Effector is the European response to the proliferation of low-cost kamikaze drones, which have radically changed the battlefield. The system developed by MBDA is a long-range and low-cost attack drone, specifically designed to overwhelm air defenses through massive synchronized attacks, in the "swarm” style, i.e. swarms of drones launched simultaneously to saturate defensive systems.

The drone is designed for SEAD missions - Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses -, with the role of exhausting the opponent's expensive interceptors and opening the way for other strikes. Basically, its operational philosophy is the same that made the Iranian Shahed drones famous: low cost, mass production and the ability to force the opponent to consume extremely expensive missiles to neutralize relatively cheap targets.

The technical characteristics of the One Way Effector clearly show MBDA's ambition to aggressively enter this strategic segment. The drone has a range of up to 500 kilometers, can carry an explosive warhead of 40-50 kilograms and is powered by a turbojet engine, which allows it to reach speeds of approximately 400 km/h. The system is designed for autonomous flight and can execute precise strikes on pre-programmed coordinates. The structure has a wingspan of approximately three meters, and the launch is made from land ramps, in multiple salvos.

MBDA claims that the program has advanced at an extremely fast pace, from the conceptual phase to the development contract, with the first test flight already taking place at the end of 2025. In January 2026, the French Directorate General for Armament signed the first official development contract for the system.

However, the industrial objective is perhaps the most spectacular element of the program: the company aims for a production of up to 1,000 units per month, through partnerships with the automotive industry and with factories capable of delivering huge volumes in a very short time. This is exactly why Romania appears in the MBDA equation.

Arnaud Rousset explained that the European group is already investing billions of euros to accelerate the production of the entire armament portfolio, amid the explosion of international demand. "We know that there is a need on the part of the armed forces to deliver large quantities, quickly,” said the company representative.

MBDA's participation in BSDA 2026 was not accidental. The group already has important contracts with Romania for Marte ER anti-ship missiles, intended for Navy helicopters, as well as for Mistral 3 surface-to-air systems, launched from MANPADS platforms. Company officials say, however, that the Bucharest exhibition also represents an opportunity to deepen relations with the Romanian Armed Forces and local industry, especially in the perspective of long-term industrial cooperation projects.

At BSDA 2026, MBDA also presented the Aster B1 NT (New Technology) missile, designed to counter complex threats, including medium-range ballistic missiles, hypersonic missiles and maneuverable targets, offering an extended range (over 150 km) and superior performance. The missile includes a new seeker, which offers superior precision in the final phase of interception, and is the pillar of the SAMP/T NG (New Generation) long-range air defense system. It is used in both land (SAMP/T) and naval applications, providing state-of-the-art air and missile defense. The Aster B1 NT is part of the Franco-Italian cooperation program, ensuring European sovereignty in air defense.