Turkish company Otokar won a tender to supply 1,059 Cobra II 4×4 Tactical Wheeled Light Armored Vehicles and some integrated logistics support services to Romania under a RON 4.26 bln (EUR 850 mln without VAT) contract, the company announced, according to Savunmasanayist.com.

Otokar was the only one to submit a commercial offer before the March 20 deadline.

French company Arquus and the Turkish group Nurol Makina gave up entering the competition, not accepting the contractual conditions imposed by the Romanian side, according to sources familiar with the deal. Although it was rumored to be the favorite, Oshkosh Defence (US) did not receive the approval of the US Congress for the technology transfer.

Otokar won the tender launched by the Romanian state company Romtehnica, an entity under the control of the Ministry of National Defense. Following the completion of the technical evaluation, field tests and commercial evaluation processes, the official invitation letter for contract negotiations was sent to Otokar by the tendering authority, the Turkish daily announced.

The first 278 vehicles will be produced at Otokar facilities in Turkey, and the remaining will be produced in Romania under a structure to be determined in the future.

Romania is also interested in buying tanks from South Korea, the Minister of Defense revealed at the end of April, according to Euronews Romania. It is about the Black Panther tanks, considered among the best in the world.

iulian@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Defense.otokar.com.tr)