Romania Receives Its First Batch of JLTV Armored Vehicles
Romania has received its first batch of Joint Light Tactical Vehicles (JLTV) manufactured in the United States. The first batch of 33 JLTV light tactical armored vehicles were delivered by ship by officials of the US Navy to the port of Constanța in southeastern Romania. The armored vehicles were then lowered by crane from the cargo ship docked in port, loaded onto tractor trailers, and the process of delivering them to Romanian Special Operations Forces began. This supply also coincided with the transfer of a second C-130H2 transport aircraft to the Romanian Air Force under the Excessive Defense Articles (EDA) Program by the United States. The first aircraft of this type was transferred in September.
The delivery in question was part of a $43.73 million Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program requested by the Romanian government from the United States. The original FMS file included 34 Heavy Gun Carriers JLTVs, but the Romanian government requested an additional 95 Joint Light Tactical Vehicles (JLTV) from the US on March 14, 2023. Romania’s new request was added to the previously implemented case, bringing the total value of the purchase to $104 million. In addition to 129 M1278A1 Heavy Gun Carriers Joint Light Tactical Vehicles, the purchase includes AN/VRC-104 HF and AN/VRC-114 multi-band radios, Defense Advanced GPS Receivers (DAGR), spare parts, technical support, and other program support elements. If the US Congress approves the additional purchase, Romania plans to receive the remaining 96 vehicles in batches by 2025.
Romania’s M1278A1 Heavy Gun Carriers (HGC), which will replace the current HMMWVs, are a variant of Oshkosh Defense’s Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) model. The vehicle, which is mainly armed with a 12.7mm M2 Browning machine gun or a Common Remotely Operated Weapon Station (CROWS) mounted with a Mk19 40mm automatic grenade launcher, can be outfitted with advanced non-kinetic weapon systems (such as lasers) for defense against anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) and swarm UAV threats, depending on user requirements. The HGC variant of the JLTV, which weighs around 10 tons, can be transported by a variety of lift assets, including rotary-wing aircraft, to support a wide range of military operations. Its maneuverability enables activities throughout a wide range of terrain, including urban areas, while also providing inherent and supplemental armor against direct fire and improvised explosive device threats. The vehicle, which is powered by a turbocharged 6.6-liter V8 diesel engine with 350 horsepower, is capable of reaching a top speed of 110 km/h on asphalt and can travel up to 480 kilometers without refueling.