The acquisition agreement, signed on April 29, 2026, covers 96.77% of the shares of Automecanica S.A. for approximately 85 million euros. Once the necessary regulatory approvals are obtained, Otokar will become one of the few Turkish defense companies with its own manufacturing facility in the European Union, according to defenceturkey.com.
The investment is closely linked to the COBRA II Light Armored Tactical Type Vehicles (ATBTU) program, under which Otokar signed a contract in November 2024 to supply 1,059 COBRA II 4×4 light armored tactical wheeled vehicles to Romania. The program, valued at approximately 857 million euros (excluding VAT), is one of the largest armored vehicle procurement projects in Europe in recent years.
According to Otokar, deliveries of the vehicles, manufactured in Turkey, have already begun, and the first vehicles are currently in service with the Romanian Armed Forces. Meanwhile, preparations at the production facility in Mediaș have been completed, and full-scale assembly operations are scheduled to begin in June 2026.
The facility in Mediaș will provide Romania with production capacity for armored vehicles that meet NATO standards, covering the entire production cycle, including metalworking, welding, painting, final assembly, and acceptance testing. Romanian personnel have also undergone comprehensive training and technology transfer programs to support local production.
In addition to fulfilling the COBRA II contract, the investment is expected to strengthen Romania’s defense industrial base and contribute to NATO’s deterrence and defense capabilities on the Alliance’s eastern flank. Establishing a production base in the European Union will also enable Otokar to participate more effectively in future European defense procurement programs and industrial cooperation initiatives.
Commenting on the agreement, Otokar CEO Aykut Özuner stated: “With this agreement, we are not merely fulfilling a contract; we are contributing to Romania’s industrial sovereignty and its ability to support the defense of allies on NATO’s eastern flank.”
Otokar currently has more than 33,000 units of military equipment in service with nearly 50 countries and more than 80 end users worldwide. The company’s family of armored vehicles is in service with numerous NATO member states, and its export portfolio now includes nine European countries. The investment in Romania represents another step in Otokar’s strategy to support allied nations through local industrial partnerships, technology transfer, and domestic production.
