Turkey and Romania set up a joint venture to produce nearly 800 armored vehicles

Turkey and Romania have established a joint venture to localize the production of 781 Turkish COBRA II armored vehicles in Romania.

This was reported in a press release by Otokar.

Turkish manufacturer of ground combat systems Otokar has signed an agreement to establish a joint venture in Romania with Romanian company Automecanica S.A.

In addition to the production of COBRA II 4×4 armored vehicles, the new company will also be engaged in engineering, marketing and after-sales service in Romania.

According to the signed agreement, each of the parties – Otokar Land Systems SRL and Automecanica S.A. – will own 50% of the joint venture.

Production will be localized under a contract for the supply of 1059 COBRA II 4×4 armored vehicles for the Romanian Armed Forces.

Romania and Turkey signed a contract worth approximately €857 million in November 2024. Under this agreement, the first 278 vehicles will be manufactured in Turkey.

The remaining 781 armored vehicles are to be localized and produced by the Romanian defense industry.

According to the plan, the delivery of COBRA II armored vehicles is to begin in the fourth quarter of 2025 and will be carried out in batches over five years. The tender also includes logistics support.

COBRA II

The COBRA II is an 18-ton armored vehicle that can serve as an armored personnel carrier, combat reconnaissance vehicle, self-propelled ATGM or medical evacuation vehicle.

The vehicle has a classic layout: the engine is located in the front, the crew is in the middle, and the landing gear is in the back. Depending on the configuration, the COBRA II can accommodate up to 11 people. Options with three or five doors are available, depending on customer requirements.

The COBRA II provides all-round protection against 7.62 mm bullets and fragments, and is also mine-resistant thanks to its V-shaped steel bottom, which can withstand the detonation of anti-tank mines or improvised explosive devices.