- Romania denied that it agreed to purchase Rheinmetall’s Lynx IFV despite public claims by the company’s CEO.
- The government said the IFV program remains open, with Lynx, ASCOD and Redback still under consideration for the 298-vehicle procurement.
Romania’s government has denied reports that it reached an agreement with Rheinmetall to purchase Lynx infantry fighting vehicles, following media claims suggesting the country had already chosen the platform for its future armored vehicle program.
The clarification comes after comments from Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger, who told Bloomberg that Romania had signed a contract for Lynx vehicles. Romanian officials say no contract has been approved.
According to Romanian reporting, the government compared the situation to a VAR decision in football, noting that a play must be reviewed before a final ruling is made. The government’s position is that the “match” for Romania’s future infantry fighting vehicle program is still underway and that no official decision has been taken regarding a preferred platform.
The Ministry of Defense has not confirmed Papperger’s statement. Local reports noted that major procurement decisions are announced by the state, not by manufacturers. The government is responsible for submitting eligible programs to the European Commission under SAFE, the European Union’s Security Action for Europe mechanism.
The infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) program has an estimated value of 2.99 billion euros ($3.44 billion) and includes the planned procurement of 298 vehicles to replace Romania’s aging MLI-84 Jderul fleet. Romanian officials confirmed that the MLI program will be included in SAFE, which would allow Romania to borrow up to 16.68 billion euros ($19.22 billion) from the European Commission for defense and civil-military infrastructure investment.
Despite official denials, Lynx remains one of the options under consideration. According to the reporting, essential components such as advanced optics, electronics, and armor packages continue to be manufactured in Germany, Austria, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic. Rheinmetall also operates a modern Lynx production facility in Zalaegerszeg, Hungary.
Romania’s decision between Lynx, ASCOT, and Redback is expected soon. SAFE-related programs are scheduled for approval next week in a CSAT meeting before being submitted to the European Commission by November 28.