WASHINGTON — The State Department cleared an estimated $2.53 billion foreign military sale of M1A2 Abrams Main Battle Tanks to Romania, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said Nov. 9.
DSCA notified Congress, which must approve the sale, today.
Romania wants to buy 54 of the General Dynamics Land Systems-manufactured M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams tanks, 54 M1A1 structures, four M88A2 Hercules Combat Recovery Vehicles, four M1110 Joint Assault Bridges, four M1150 Assault Breacher Vehicles and four Heavy Assault Scissor Bridges.
The order would also include 54 M240C 7.62mm machine guns, 5,940 120mm M1147 High Explosive, Multipurpose, Tracer (HEMP-T) cartridges, 4,230 120mm M1002 Target Practice Multipurpose, Tracer (TPMP-T) cartridges and a variety of other support equipment.
Romanian lawmakers approved the National Defence Ministry’s request to buy 54 used M1A2 Abrams tanks from the United States in May 2023. At the time the cost was estimated to be worth 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion).
The Romanian government is accelerating work on a number of procurements, including plans to buy new armored vehicles, missiles systems, warships, 155mm howitzers and the F-35 Lightning II fighter jet in the aftermath of Russia’s attack against Ukraine.
Romania could become the second operator of the Abrams tank after the Polish government signed a deal worth nearly $5 billion to acquire 250 of the tanks in 2022 and placed a second order in January 2023 for another 116 Abrams worth $1.4 billion.
Jen Judson is an award-winning journalist covering land warfare for Defense News. She has also worked for Politico and Inside Defense. She holds a Master of Science degree in journalism from Boston University and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Kenyon College.
