DefMin to pay official visit to Portugal Monday through Tuesday

National Defence Minister Nicolae-Ionel Ciuca will be paying an official visit to Portugal, Monday through Tuesday, at the invitation of his counterpart Joao Gomes Cravinho. According to the National Defence Ministry (MApN), the main topics the two dignitaries will approach are cooperation in military education, bilateral and multinational military exercises and the modalities to collaborate in the defence industry area. The two ministers will go to Monte Real military base to participate in a briefing held by specialists of the Portuguese Air Force. In December 2019, the two sides signed the agreement on the purchase of a new lot of five F-16 Fighting aircraft, coming to complete the 12 purchased in the period 2014 - 2017 and part of the major endowment programme multirole aircraft of the Romanian Air Force. The schedule of the visit also includes a bilateral meeting with Portuguese Chief of General Staff, Admiral Antonio Silva Ribeiro. AGERPRES (RO - autor: Florentina Peia, editor: Antonia Nita; EN - editor: Adina Panaitescu)