Who are the American soldiers coming to Romania and why is the US sending Abrams tanks to our country, after last year's announcement that it was reducing the presence of its forces in Europe

The announcement by the head of the Army that a detachment of American soldiers with Abrams tanks will be deployed in Romania does not mean that the United States will increase its military presence in our country, after last fall the Pentagon decided to reduce its troops on NATO's eastern flank. The American troops coming to the country are part of the usual US presence, which changes its composition on a rotational basis and according to planned military exercises, military sources told HotNews.

“The United States has agreed to maintain the same level of contribution with forces, and even more, to improve the quality and lethality of the forces deployed in Romania, and the best example is also the one given by SACEUR during his visit to Romania: in the next period, a detachment of American soldiers equipped with Abrahms tanks is to be deployed in Romania”, said, in an interview for TVR, the Chief of Staff of the Army, General Gheorghiță Vlad.

The American troops referred to by the head of the Romanian Army are part of those deployed in Europe and which are frequently sent to training missions and military exercises, especially in the countries on NATO's eastern flank.

They will come to Romania at the Mihail Kogălniceanu base, where the US has established an official base where there are always around 1,000 soldiers. The detachment announced now will not represent an increase in the American forces that are deployed in Mihail Kogălniceanu, but will come for training missions and for a joint exercise with the Romanian army, several military sources told HotNews.

Abrams tanks, in Romania for an exercise in Smârdan with Romanian tanks

A source from MApN explained to HotNews that the Abrams tanks that will come to Romania will participate together with the Romanian tanks in a combat exercise in the training ground at Smârdan.

Another military source detailed for HotNews that the size of the American troops that will arrive in Romania is not large, but rather the level of a tank company. At the level of organization of the US Army, a tank company means 14 combat vehicles and about 100-150 soldiers.

The same source also said that it is not the first time that the US sends Abrams tanks to Romania, but, on the contrary, it is something that happens frequently, and in the past numerous detachments with Abrams tanks passed by Mihail Kogălniceanu.

The US Army has several units of Abrams tanks in Europe that it frequently rotates for training missions and military exercises, often in countries on the eastern flank such as Bulgaria, Romania, Poland or the Baltic states. At the moment, the US has deployed Abrams tanks in Bulgaria, at the Novo Selo training ground, as well as in Poland. at the Bemowo Piskie base, where the NATO Battle Group is operational.

Romania, in the process of also buying Abrams tanks and ammunition: 1.5 billion dollars

The American Abrams tanks are the main armored equipment of the US Army and are considered some of the most efficient in the world. The M1 Abrams tank was designed in the 70s, but was upgraded along the way and was produced in different versions. The most modern SEPv3 version started to be produced in 2015.

Romania is in the process of acquiring 54 Abrams tanks in the M1A2 SEPv3 variant, the most modern configuration also in the US equipment. The contract is worth about 1 billion euros and also involves the purchase of 12 derivatives on tank chassis (4 evacuation tractors, 4 mobile assault bridges, 4 mine dredgers).

In addition to these, in 2026 Romania will sign a contract of almost 500 million dollars to equip the ordered tanks with weapons, as well as simulators.

More precisely, the purchase of half a billion dollars involves: 54 horse machine guns. 7.62 mm M240, explosive charge for executing color through minefields (48 pieces of exercise and 80 with explosive charge), 2112 shots cal. 120 mm, TPMP-T M1002, 5130 shots cal. 120 mm, KE-W kinetic energy, 3660 M76 smoke grenades, 4356 cal. 120 mm M865A1 for training, 1 tank tactical training simulator —crew, platoon and company level, 2 tank gunnery training simulators, 1 tank technique driving simulator, spare parts, test equipment, support services and technical assistance and transportation, training services.

Abrams M1A2 SEP v3 specifications

• Product: 2015 – present
• Length: 9.83m
• Width: 3.7m
• Height: 2.4m
• Maximum speed: 68 km/h (40 km/h offroad)
• Motor: Honeywell AGT1500 multi-fuel turbine engine
• Engine power: 1100kW
• Tank capacity: 1,900 liters
• Maximum autonomy: 425 km
• Weight: 66.8 tons
• Main Cannon: 120mm M256A1 (42 rounds)
• Secondary armament: 1 12.7mm machine gun, 2 7.62mm caliber machine guns, one of which is mounted coaxially with the main gun.
• Crew: 4 (Commander, Gunner, Loader, Driver)