The Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced on Nov. 9 that the State Department has approved a foreign military sale of M1A2 Abrams Main Battle Tanks to Romania, estimated to be worth $2.53 billion. This sale, which requires approval from Congress, includes several equipment, such as M1A1 structures, Hercules Combat Recovery Vehicles, Joint Assault Bridges, Assault Breacher Vehicles, Heavy Assault Scissor Bridges, machine guns, and cartridges.
In May 2023, Romanian lawmakers granted the National Defence Ministry’s request to purchase 54 used M1A2 Abrams tanks from the United States, with an estimated cost of 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion). This decision came as Romania ramped up its procurement efforts for various military assets, including new armored vehicles, missiles systems, warships, 155mm howitzers, and the F-35 Lightning II fighter jet, following Russia’s attack against Ukraine.
If the sale goes through, Romania will become the second operator of the Abrams tank, after Poland, which acquired 250 of the tanks in 2022 and placed a second order for another 116 Abrams in January 2023.
