The announcement marks the conclusion of a lengthy procurement process to replace Romania’s ageing MLI-84 and MLI-84M Jderul platforms, which are Soviet-era designs that have exceeded their operational limits. The tracked IFV programme was officially launched in July 2025, initially targeting 246 vehicles with a budget of around €2.55 billion and options for an additional 52 units.
The decision follows a key visit to Bucharest by Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger, who met with Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan, Economy Minister Radu Miruță, and Defence Minister Ionuț Moșteanu. “This is a very important day for Romania and the national defence industry,” said Prime Minister Bolojan during the official discussions.
Economy Minister Radu Miruță underlined the significance of the domestic industrial component in the programme. “We are talking about a project in which most of the production will take place in Romania,” Miruță stated.
The deal builds on prior agreements between Romania and Rheinmetall, including contracts for medium-calibre ammunition and plans for a propellant plant. Euronews describes the Lynx programme as “the main joint project” between the Romanian state and the German defence group.
The competition for the IFV contract peaked at the 2024 Black Sea Defence & Aerospace exhibition (BSDA) in Bucharest, where multiple contenders were showcased. Alongside the winning KF41 Lynx, BAE Systems’ CV90 Mk IV, Hanwha’s AS21 Redback, GDELS’ ASCOD 2, Poland’s Borsuk, and Türkiye’s Tulpar were presented to Romanian military and defence officials.
Source: Euronews Romania.
