VIDEO Romania buys Abrams tanks from the USA, at a premium, that cannot be transported on the country’s roads

In an analysis published by the Defense EXpress portal, Romania’s laudable initiative to purchase modern tanks to replace those purchased during the communist era is highlighted.

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VIDEO Romania buys Abrams tanks from the USA, at a premium, that cannot be transported on the country’s roads

The analysis shows that Romania needs 300 modern tanks and that, so far, it has managed to prefect the purchase of only 50 from the USA. The author of the article says that the purchase price of an Abrams tank is greatly inflated, and sales to other countries seem to confirm this.

The authors point out that Romania needs to rebuild its road infrastructure, because the Abrams tanks are much too heavy and cannot be transported across the country.

Defense Express writes, citing sources from Bucharest, that the Romanian Ministry of Defense is inclined to also purchase K2 tanks from South Korea, but before making a final decision, tests of this armored combat vehicle must take place on Romanian territory .

The Romanian Ministry of Defense now intends to expand the range of weapons it intends to buy from South Korea, and in addition to the contracted K9 and K2 tanks, it is also considering the option of purchasing the K21 Redback infantry fighting vehicles, the same source writes.

Did a tank cost $50,000,000?

The authors ask why Romania needed to turn its attention to Korea? “Why was the already agreed purchase of 54 M1 Abrams tanks from the United States, worth $1 billion, not enough for Romania? And why couldn’t Bucharest simply increase its existing Abrams order?”.

And they also offer the answer: “The United States agreed to sell Romania only 54 tanks, at the exorbitant price of 1 billion dollars. Consequently, Bucharest, with its ambition to receive up to 300 new tanks to replace the aging TR-85 and the modernized TR-85M1 Bizon, must look for additional options for modern armored fighting vehicles.”

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There is an error in the military analysts’ account, as breakingdefence writes that the price is much higher: “The US State Department has approved Romania’s purchase of 54 M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams main battle tanks, with a potential price of 2.53 billion USD.

The potential sale was announced on the website of the Security and Defense Cooperation Agency (DSCA). The announcements made by the DSCA are not final, as Congress can still step in and oppose the sale, although this is almost certain not to happen in the case of three NATO nations. It is important to note that final quantities and total dollar amounts may change during negotiations.”

Reuters says an Abrams tank would have a starting price of $10,000,000.

The roads don’t last

There is one more problem with this story. The most unexpected of which is that Romania’s transportation infrastructure is simply not designed for vehicles as large as the M1 Abrams, so the country’s roads will have to be literally rebuilt.

“Furthermore, South Korea’s proactive position itself could have played a role (in Romania’s decision to buy tanks ed.), as it is systematically working not only to increase the production of new military equipment, but also to maximize the interest of potential buyers of his weapons, sometimes even throwing them in the trash”, is the conclusion of the authors.