It seems that Romania is seeking to enhance its military capabilities by acquiring a significant number of M1A2 Abrams Main Battle Tanks from the United States. Here are some key points from the provided information:
- Foreign Military Sale Approval: The U.S. State Department has cleared a foreign military sale of M1A2 Abrams tanks to Romania, estimated to be worth $2.53 billion.
- Details of the Sale: Romania aims to purchase 54 M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams tanks, along with various support vehicles and equipment. The order includes M1A1 structures, M88A2 Hercules Combat Recovery Vehicles, M1110 Joint Assault Bridges, M1150 Assault Breacher Vehicles, Heavy Assault Scissor Bridges, M240C 7.62mm machine guns, 120mm M1147 High Explosive, Multipurpose, Tracer (HEMP-T) cartridges, and 120mm M1002 Target Practice Multipurpose, Tracer (TPMP-T) cartridges.
- Congress Approval: The sale requires approval from the U.S. Congress before it can proceed.
- Previous Approval by Romanian Lawmakers: In May 2023, Romanian lawmakers approved the National Defence Ministry’s request to buy 54 used M1A2 Abrams tanks from the United States, with an estimated cost of 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion).
- Military Procurements by Romania: Romania is reportedly accelerating its military procurements, including plans to acquire new armored vehicles, missile systems, warships, 155mm howitzers, and the F-35 Lightning II fighter jet. This comes in response to Russia’s attack against Ukraine.
- Potential Second Operator of Abrams Tanks: If the sale is approved, Romania could become the second operator of the Abrams tank in Europe. Poland signed a deal in 2022 to acquire 250 Abrams tanks, with a second order in January 2023 for another 116 tanks.
This development suggests a broader effort by Romania to modernize and strengthen its military capabilities in response to regional security concerns.
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SOURCE
https://www.defensenews.com/land/2023/11/09/state-dept-approves-25b-sale-of-abrams-tanks-to-romania/