Türkiye’s global land systems manufacturer Otokar has signed a Joint Venture Agreement with Automecanica SA, one of Romania’s leading defense industry companies. The joint venture company is expected to produce Cobra II 4X4 armored vehicles as well as conduct activities such as engineering, marketing and after-sales.
Otokar, one of the Koç Group companies, took an important step within the framework of the “2024 COBRA II ATBTU” contract signed with the Romanian Ministry of Defense in November 1059, and signed a Joint Venture Agreement with Automecanica SA, one of Romania's leading defense industry companies, in order to carry out local production in the country and thereby develop defense industry capabilities.
The new company is aimed to produce COBRA II 4×4 ATBTU armored vehicles in Romania, as well as conduct engineering activities, marketing and after-sales services in the country.
According to the signed agreement, Otokar Land Systems SRL and Automecanica SA will each have a 50% stake in the Joint Venture Company.
Aykut Özüner: We have strengthened our presence in global markets
Otokar General Manager Aykut Özüner stated that Otokar is Türkiye’s largest land systems exporter and emphasized that this agreement is one of the most important steps in the company’s growth strategy in the defense industry. “A global player in the defense industry, Otokar has become Türkiye’s largest land platform exporter. We proudly operate with our military vehicles that successfully serve in more than 40 countries in many different regions of the world. As part of our ongoing project in Romania, we are pleased to announce this first step towards the establishment of our new joint venture company for the production of our COBRA II vehicles in Romania. This step will be one of the main milestones in Otokar’s growth strategy in the defense industry and will contribute to the company’s expansion in global markets.”
Sedef Vehbi: With our new company, Romania will become a strategic center within the scope of Otokar's European activities.
Stressing Otokar’s determination to expand its presence in Europe, Otokar Military Vehicles Deputy General Manager Sedef Vehbi underlined that they are ready to meet Romania’s needs and stated that Romania will become a strategic center within the scope of Otokar’s European activities with the joint venture company to be established. Vehbi said, “We are extremely proud on behalf of our company and our country to have signed the largest single land platform export contract that Türkiye has ever received. In line with our commitment to Romania, we have determined Automecanica S.A., which stands out with its technical competence and production capacity in the defense industry, as our local partner after a comprehensive and meticulous evaluation process with the aim of localizing land systems production and developing capabilities in this area.”
Andrei Scobioala: Our joint venture will focus on contributing to the development of local capabilities in Romania.
“We are very proud and excited to serve the Romanian Armed Forces and contribute to the country’s economy with this partnership we have established with Otokar, which has superior capabilities,” said Andrei Scobioala, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Automecanica SA. Andrei Scobioala continued his words as follows: “This project, which will play an important role in the development of Romania’s local capabilities in the defense industry, is of great importance to us.”
