The purchase of 54 tanks, along with accompanying additional equipment, services, ammunition, and support vehicles, is estimated to be worth approximately 1 billion EUR (1.1 billion USD).
These tanks will allow for the modernisation of one of the five active tank battalions, currently equipped with around 270 vehicles.
The Romanian Land Forces currently possess over 300 TR-85 and TR-85M1 Bisonul tanks, as well as older TR-850 and T-55 tanks stored in reserve. Both types of domestic tanks (TR-85 and TR-580) are based on the Soviet T-55 design from the 1950s.
The implementation schedule for the project is still unknown. Of course, it will be carried out based on a government-to-government agreement under the Foreign Military Sales programme.
The funding for the purchase will be made possible through an increase in Bucharest’s defence expenditure to 2.5% of GDP.
Romania will become the second European NATO member, alongside Poland, to operate Abrams tanks.
