The Admiral Petre Bărbuneanu class was based on the Soviet Navy's Koni-class frigate but designed in Romania to a smaller size, though retaining their anti-submarine warfare (ASW) role.

The ships are powered by four diesel engines driving four shafts creating 15,000 kilowatts (20,000 bhp).

The 76  mm guns have a range of 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) and fire up to 90 rounds per minute.

They have Hercules MG-22 hull-mounted sonar for underwater search and two PK 16 chaff launchers and RW-23 (NATO reporting name: Watch Dog) electronic support measures.

Three more corvettes would follow before the project was terminated in 1987 in favour of a new design that incorporated a helicopter flight deck.