Romania has announced new defense cooperation with Germany’s Rheinmetall.
Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger and senior Romanian officials, including Economy Minister Radu Miruță and Defense Minister Ionuț Moșteanu, have agreed on the purchase of 300 Lynx infantry fighting vehicles from the German defense company Rheinmetall. An important element of the new cooperation is that some of the production will take place on the ground in Romania, to benefit local producers and the domestic economy as well.
The Romanian government has been clear in its intentions to expand its defense capabilities, including via the purchase of high-tech equipment, notes reported Portfolio.hu, citing information from Defence Blog.
Parliamentary approval of the final phase of Romania’s infantry fighting vehicle program is required before any domestic production can begin. The program will take advantage of Rheinmetall’s existing presence in Romania, through its factory in Mediaș.
The facility “manufactures and modernizes specialized vehicles and trucks for both civilian and military markets” and will now also support production of the Lynx IFVs.
Rheinmetall will also invest €500 million to build “the world’s most modern gunpowder factory” in Victoria, Brasov County, which will “create hundreds of jobs and strengthen the country’s defense industry.””
