VIDEO Convoys of Abrams tanks and Paladin artillery systems worth $9,600,000 transit Romania

Newsweek Romania has published, in the last few days, several films in which military armored vehicles transit Romania either to Ukraine, to training sites or to unknown destinations.

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Convoys of Abrams tanks and Paladin artillery systems worth $9,600,000 transit Romania

Ukraine was the world’s fourth largest importer between 2019 and 2023, after at least 30 countries provided military aid to Ukraine as of February 2022.

A convoy with several heavy military equipment such as the dreaded American M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams tanks, M109A6 Paladin artillery systems and armored infantry was spotted by a Romanian transiting Romania by rail.

At this time it is not clear where the footage was taken, nor is the destination of these military vehicles known.

This footage comes just a few days after other footage appeared in the public space showing similar military equipment being transported by road near Sibiu.

Read also: PHOTO $2,500,000,000 Abrams tanks arrived in Romania in great secrecy. Where were they seen?

Romania doubled its arms imports in the period 2019-2023 (an increase of 180 percent), which represents a share of 0.6 percent of global major arms imports.

Romania bought 54 American M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams tanks

Romania has acquired 54 state-of-the-art American M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams tanks in 2023, plus ammunition and training simulators, with the total estimated cost of the program being $2.53 billion.

“This sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States, helping to improve the security of a NATO ally that is an important force for political and economic stability in Europe,” the Pentagon said last November.

On March 13, dozens of BTR-60 armored personnel carriers left Romania for Ukraine, as can be seen from the video recording published on a social network. The armored vehicles are identical to those promised by Bulgaria for the Ukrainian army.

About 100 armored personnel carriers from the warehouses of the Ministry of Interior will be sent by Bulgaria as aid to Ukraine, MP Ivaylo Mirchev of Prosperous Change – Democratic Bulgaria announced last July.

Read also: EXCLUSIVE The army admits: a train with weapons transited Romania. Direction: Ukraine. Secret owner

Large-scale military exercises

The Romanian Army confirmed, for Newsweek, this military transport without further details.

Also this month, Newsweek wrote that Romania moved dozens of wagons with weapons 100 km from the border with Ukraine, according to an answer provided by the Ministry of Defense to Newsweek Romania. The weapons train was filmed in Suceava and was carrying weapons to a military exercise.

Read also: VIDEO Romania moved 32 military vehicles 100 km from the border with Ukraine. What is the reason?

The army replied that “Since March 5, technical elements from the provision of the 52nd Artillery Regiment “General Alexandru Tell” were transported by rail from the Bârlad garrison to the Şimleul Silvaniei garrison, Sălaj county, to participate in training activities, as planned.

M109A6 Paladin Artillery System

The M109A6 Paladin is a self-propelled armored artillery system that uses a 155 mm artillery gun, allowing the crew to quickly provide direct and indirect fire support to Service members on the ground.

As with most armored vehicles, interior space is limited, so the Paladin is supported by an equally armored ammunition supply vehicle to supply the Paladin with additional ammunition and allow for sustained barrages.

According to vehicle manufacturer BAE systems, this new version of the Paladin and ammunition supply vehicle, developed under the Paladin Integrated Management program, has been enhanced to include features such as new electronic, communications and fire control systems.

The cost of such an M109A6 Paladin artillery system amounts to $9,600,000 per piece.

Romania, in a program to equip with 155 mm howitzers

Romania has embarked on an extensive procurement program, focusing on the acquisition of 155 mm howitzers.

To this end, there have already been discussions with the South Korean giant Hanwha for the purchase of the K9 Thunder self-propelled howitzers.

Lieutenant General Teodor Incicaş, head of the General Armaments Directorate, announced, as early as March 2023, that Romania will purchase, for the first time, 155 mm howitzers. A few months later, on July 30, the tender was launched for battalion-level self-propelled howitzers, with the aim of “providing direct indirect fire support to maneuver forces,” as the Army announcement stated.

The contract for the “Cal howitzer system. Battalion Level 155mm, 155mm Explosive Projectile Shot, 155mm Smoke Projectile Shot, 155mm Illumination Projectile Shot, 155mm Inert Projectile Shot (for Training)”, is estimated to be worth 4,184,614,517 lei, and the duration of the contract is 60 months.

The Ministry of National Defense launched the limited tender for three battalions of 155 mm self-propelled howitzers, three systems, and almost 20,000 artillery pieces of the same caliber, for an estimated amount of over 4 billion lei.

The contract includes 54 tracked self-propelled 155 mm howitzers, and each system is composed of 18 howitzers, 9 reserve tubes, 12 ammunition transport and loading machines, 9 self-propelled artillery observation posts, 1 weather station, 3 technical means of evacuation of damaged equipment and 3 acoustic research systems.

At the same time, together with the Horse Howitzer System. 155 mm Battalion level, the supplier is obliged to deliver the following types of ammunition: 155 mm shot with explosive projectiles (17,352), smoke (324), lighting (324) and inert, for training (720).