Romania’s Defense Ministry (MApN) has recently signed a contract for the purchase of 942 Iveco military trucks worth over EUR 216 million, VAT excluded.

This is the first phase of a larger EUR 750 mln agreement that includes the delivery of over 2,900 military trucks and platforms, defense minister Nicolae Ciucă said in an interview, according to Hotnews.ro.

The military trucks and wheeled transport platforms in various configurations will be delivered over the next four years. Starting with the 301th truck, “they will be produced in Romania,” minister Ciucă said. He added that the contract is subject to a 80% offset provision - meaning that Iveco will buy in its turn from Romanian companies goods or services amounting to 80% of the size of the contract with the Army.

However, minister Ciuca admits that the Iveco military trucks will rather be “integrated”, or assembled, in Romania. The location where the equipment will be “integrated” will be decided together by Iveco and the Romanian authorities.

According to a statement published in January by Iveco Defense Vehicles, the contract signed with the MApN includes four types of military vehicles from the Iveco High Mobility range - 4x4, 6x6, 8x8 and 8x8 Prime Mover - which in turn will be divided into 16 different versions. A third of the trucks will have armored cabins.

editor@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Facebook/Ministerul Apararii Nationale Romania)