First Naval Salute in the Black Sea: Corvette "Contraamiral August Roman" (261) Meets Frigate "Regele Ferdinand" (221)
A moment of great symbolic significance took place in the Black Sea, where the Romanian Naval Forces' new corvette, " Contraamiral August Roman" (261)—currently en route to Constanța—met the frigate "Regele Ferdinand" (221) for the first time.
The two warships exchanged the traditional naval salute, marking the first interaction between the Naval Forces' newest combat vessel and a Type 22 R frigate.
This event symbolizes the integration of the new corvette into the Romanian Naval Forces' operational structures and opens a new chapter in the Fleet's modernization process. In naval tradition, the salute between two warships is not merely a gesture of courtesy, but one of mutual respect and recognition between crews.
The frigate "Regele Ferdinand" is a vessel with extensive operational experience, having carried out numerous NATO and EU missions and operations; it is currently participating in the multinational exercise BREEZE 2026, organized by the Bulgarian Naval Forces.
The interaction between the veteran combat frigate and the newest corvette also marked the first joint training exercise for the "Contraamiral August Roman" (261) alongside another Romanian Naval Forces vessel.
The ship's arrival at the military port is scheduled for Friday, July 10, following the completion of its training period in Turkey and the voyage back to the country. The corvette, built in Turkey and officially entering service with the Romanian Naval Forces on June 20, 2026, represents the newest and most modern naval platform in the Romanian Naval Forces' inventory, designed for surveillance, patrol, surface warfare, air defense, and anti-submarine warfare missions.