German company Rheinmetall expects to sign the financing agreement with the Romanian state for developing the 8x8 armored vehicle Agilis at Moreni in Southern Romania, company representatives told Hotnews.ro.

The company would receive EUR 234 million for three years, said Thorsten Kutz, board member of the joint venture between the Romanian state and the German company.

Rheinmetall will build 400 such carriers for Romania’s Defense Ministry, with 2020 as a deadline, and offer maintenance services from its Romania site until 2055. The German company also wants to build at its Moreni factory military trucks and other products for its international client, as well as a 30-mm cannon to be installed on the Agilis carrier.

Rheinmetall owns half of the shares in the newly set up firm Romanian Military Vehicle Systems, with the Romanian state holding the other half. The company is run by an administrative board and a general manager, with the German and Romanian part taking turn in running it every two years. It is currently run by German Karl Ulrich Zulauf.

After the development stage starts, the Romanian Defense Ministry has to start the public acquisition procedure and sign a contract to buy the armored vehicles. About 90% of the components for the 8x8 armored vehicles will be made in Romania, with the engine and driveline coming from abroad.

editor@romania-insider.com