- Instead of acquiring a mixed US/EU tank fleet, Romania has opted to expand its purchase of M1A2SEPv3 MBTs
- The procurement will come as a blow to the European Union, which wants member states to spend in the EU
- Romania is embarking on a military modernisation programme, replacing largely Russian hardware
Romania has opted to further tie itself to US procurement structures with a further purchase for hundreds of additional Abrams M1A2 SEPv3 main battle tanks (MBT) into a multi-billion-euro acquisition.
Announced on 30 September 2025, by Romania’s Ministry of National Defence (MND), the Abrams purchase, being undertaken under Stage II of the Main Battle Tank Procurement Programme will see 216 M1A2 SEPv3 MBTs acquired for nearly €6.5bn ($7.6bn), along with 76 “derivatives”, likely a reference to engineering and recovery vehicles.
The Romanian acquisition is likely exactly the kind of programme that the European Union would prefer went to member states’ defence industries, potentially funded by the recently announced SAFE defence loan fund.
With an ageing fleet of Russian- and Soviet-origin armoured and mobility vehicles, coupled with an increase in defence spending seen throughout Europe, the Romanian market will have been seen as a key opportunity for the EU and its defence industrial ambitions.
However, the 2023 award in a direct government-to-government deal under Stage I of the MBT programme for 54 modernised M1A2 SEPv3 MBTs and 12 engineering variants, for a fee of around $1.1bn, the writing was on the wall for European MBT suppliers.
The Romania MND said MBTs under the Stage I procurement are estimated to have been delivered by 2028.
Poland is another European country to move to acquire Abrams tanks in 2025, as it builds a unique US/South Korean mixed fleet.
Romanian spending to the US
According to analysis by GlobalData in 2024, Romania’s defence spending was forecast to reach around $9.7bn by 2029, meaning it would remain consistently above 3% of its entire GDP, roughly in line with Nato’s newly announced requirements.
US defence manufacturers have registered a number of successes in the land domain in Romania over the years, either direct or via European subsidiaries. Between 2008-2020, General Dynamics European Land Systems provided 67 Piranha IIC/IV infantry fighting vehicles to the Romanian Army.
In addition, more recently Romania moved to acquire a number of JLTVs from Oshkosh Defense and has also purchased M1224 MaxxPro armoured multirole vehicles from US-based International Truck.
The Romanian military also operates a unknown number, but likely hundreds, of the ubiquitous HMMWV 4×4 vehicles, of the M1114 and M1151A1 variants.
The decision follows the EU’s move in mid-2025 to create the new SAFE defence investment fund to enable member states to secure low interest loans for military procurement purposes, with up to €150bn set aside for the scheme.
