Otokar begins deliveries of the first Romanian-built Cobra II Vehicles to the Romanian Armed Forces; over 780 vehicles to be manufactured in Mediaș — every stage, not just assembly
The first Cobra II tactical armoured vehicles built entirely in Mediaș left the factory gates yesterday, bound for the Romanian Armed Forces. With serial production on schedule and deliveries under way, Otokar’s Automecanica Mediaș becomes the company’s production plant in Europe and its first manufacturing site in the European Union, giving Romania the capability to build a 4x4 armoured vehicle across every stage of manufacturing.
Of the 1,059 vehicles ordered by Romania, over 780 will be built in Mediaș over a five-year period. Serial production is on schedule: nearly 300 vehicles are delivered. Within 2026, 216 vehicles are to be delivered , with four new variants.
“Romanian-made Cobra II deliveries have just begun. The first Cobra II vehicles manufactured entirely in Mediaș left the factory gates yesterday heading to the Romanian Armed Forces,” said Yusuf Fettahlıoğlu, General Manager of Automecanica Mediaş.
Automecanica Mediaș is Otokar’s production plant in Europe and its first manufacturing site in the European Union — making Otokar the only Turkish land systems company manufacturing in the EU. The same production standards applied in Türkiye are applied here.
The Mediaş plant spans around 140,000 square metres with NATO-standard infrastructure. Modern equipment has already been installed. Crucially, Romania gains the capability to manufacture a 4x4 armoured vehicle across every stage of production, not merely to assemble it.
“Beyond the production line, the investment brings Romania what matters over the long term: advanced production know-how, technology transfer and engineering capabilities. The Mediaș plant is becoming a regional land-systems hub, capable of supporting not only production for the Romanian armed forces but also future export opportunities linked to NATO and European Union defence programmes.” — Yusuf Fettahlıoğlu, Automecanica Mediaş General Manager.
Cobra II is a 4x4 tactical armoured vehicle launched in 2013, now in service with more than 20 end users across 13 countries, including over 600 units in NATO service. It is a modular platform, with 30 variants developed globally.
For Romania, Otokar is producing different variants like; personnel carrier, reconnaissance, personnel carrier with RCWS, CBRN reconnaissance and ambulance. The Romanian vehicle was developed specifically for the requirements of the tender, tested by the Romanian authorities, and met every specification.
With almost 40 years of defence industry experience and more than 33,000 military vehicles in service across nearly 50 countries, Otokar brings the credibility of a global manufacturer and the commitment of a long-term local partner. Otokar is a supplier to NATO and the United Nations, with a global presence and subsidiaries in 5 different countries.
Serial production in Mediaș also means skilled, stable jobs in the community. Nearly 100 new employees are hired recently in Mediaş, and the production team now numbers more than 300. The expansion also extends in office based employees in various positions. In total, Otokar’s presence in Mediaș will approach 400 employees soon, depending on the level of production. The company offers benefits and a fair working environment, with the goal of becoming the employer of choice in the industry — because motivated and loyal people are what bring performance.
