In a major boost for Türkiye’s defense industry, Otokar, a leading Turkish defense contractor and subsidiary of Koç Holding, secured a $930 million contract in October 2024 to supply 1,059 Cobra II 4x4 tactical armored vehicles to the Romanian Ministry of National Defense. This deal, described as Türkiye’s largest single-item armored vehicle export, marks a significant milestone in Turkish-Romanian defense cooperation and strengthens NATO’s capabilities in Eastern Europe. The agreement, signed with Romania’s state-owned procurement agency Romtehnica, underscores Otokar’s growing footprint in the European defense market and its role in supporting NATO allies.

The Cobra II, a versatile and battle-proven platform, is designed for a range of missions, including border security, convoy protection, reconnaissance, and counterinsurgency operations. Its modular design, high mobility, and robust protection features make it an ideal fit for Romania’s modernization efforts to replace aging Soviet-era systems and align with NATO standards. The contract includes the delivery of the base model and eight variants, along with a comprehensive logistics and support package to ensure operational readiness. The first 14 vehicles, manufactured at Otokar’s facilities in Sakarya, Türkiye, were delivered to Mediaș, Romania, in June 2025, marking the project’s initial phase.