The US State Department has approved the sale to Romania of 16 amphibious assault vehicles and related equipment for an estimated cost of USD 120.5mn, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced on July 27.

The DSCA, part of the United States Department of Defense (DoD), delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale.

The proposed sale will improve Romania's capability to meet current and future threats by modernizing and ensuring Romania's continued expeditionary capability to counter regional threats. Romania will have no difficulty absorbing this equipment and services into its armed forces.

A principal contractor has not been determined for the potential sale. There are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale, the Pentagon said.

According to a press release of the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), the Romanian Government requested the purchase of 16 amphibious assault vehicles, the personnel version (AAVP-7A1); three amphibious assault vehicles, command variant (AAVC-7Al); two amphibious assault vehicles, recovery variant (AAVR-7Al); sixteen 50 calibre machine guns and five 240.7 mm M62B machine guns.

(Photo: Kamchai Charoenpongchai | Dreamstime.com)

iulian@romania-insider.com