The Defence Ministry has asked Parliament for prior approval to start the procedure for awarding contracts for the purchase of 150 Piranha V armoured personnel carriers, according to Agerpres.

In a joint sitting on Friday, Parliament’s standing bureaus decided to forward the MApN request to the defence committees for the preparation of the necessary documentation.

„The acquisition programme entails supplementing the existing number of personnel carriers as a result of the change in the beneficiary’s operational requirements generated by the appearance, starting in 2020, of the new NATO capability code and the new NATO minimum capability requirements, which are the basis for the operationalisation of the capability targets taken up by Romania under the NATO defence planning process, that is achieving the objectives of the programme for the transformation of the Romanian armed forces by 2040. Stage II of the armoured personnel carrier programme consists of the purchase of 150 Piranha V armoured personnel carriers and chassis variations thereof, and the acquisition of logistical support and related specific training and training equipment, to round up the equipment of the MApN departments,” reads a letter sent by Defence Minister Angel Tilvar to Parliament’s chairs.

The acquisition for which the approval of the Romanian Parliament is requested will be carried out under a specific procedure in accordance with the provisions of Article 20 (3) of Government’s Emergency Ordinance (OUG) 114/2011 regarding the award of certain defence and security public procurement contracts to be initiated and carried out depending on available funding/budgeting.

The costs, capped at 674 million US dollars, are calculated based on data available at this moment, updated in accordance with OUG 126/2022, with the actual prices likely to vary depending on the economic conditions existing when the purchase contract is signed.

The letter also says that the production of Piranha V armoured personnel carriers will be carried out in Romania under circumstances similar to those specified in a governmental memorandum registered under 20/25897 of December 17, 2021 at the Ministry of Economy, and a memorandum of understanding between CN ROMARM SA – a subsidiary of the Bucharest Mechanical Factory SA – and General Dynamics European Land System-Mowag GmbH, with the purpose of establishing the terms and conditions of an association for the integration and production of Piranha V armoured personnel carriers contracted by the Romanian Army, as well as the creation of production and maintenance facilities in Romania.

Agerpres