Minister of Defense, Sorin Frunzaverde, and the chief of the Romanian General Staff, Admiral Gheorghe Marin will participate Monday, December 4, 2006 in the ceremony occurring in Constanta Military Bay starting 10:45 a.m. due to Regina Maria frigate return from the Active Endeavour mission.

In September-November 2006, the frigate participated in the Active Endeavour NATO operation in the Mediterranean Sea. Regina Maria traveled for more then 16,000 maritime miles in oversee and control missions in the Mediterranean Sea, part of them in very rough conditions of navigation, monitoring and interrogation of more then 400 ships and 60 airplanes.

The presence of Regina Maria frigate in the Mediterranean Sea was the Romanian Navy second participation in the Active Endeavour operation, after the last autumn participation for two months in the same NATO mission.

Representatives of the Ministry of Defense, central and local authorities, NGOs and the crew relatives are invited to take part in this ceremony.


Active Endeavour (htttp://www.nato.int/docu.review/2005/issue3.romanian/art4.html#top) is an operation initiated and led by the North Atlantic Alliance for discouraging the terrorist actions. NATO military conception on the defense against terrorism foresees, among the others, the development by the Active Endeavour operational force of different actions of oversee and control on the big channels of navigation in the Mediterranean Sea.

Regina Maria frigate (http://www.fortele-navale.ro) has adisplacement of 4,900 tdw, a length of 148 meters, a breadth of 14.75 meters, a maximum speed of 30 knots, a maximum draught of 6.4 meters and an autonomy of 4,500 maritime miles. The ship is equipped with a super rapid 76 mm gun, torpedo installations, a computer assisted command system, jamming and electronic warfare installations and radar systems. The propulsion consists in four Rolls-Royce turbines. The frigate has four Diesel generators of 1 MW and air condition system with permanent function.

MoD Press Office