COBRA II: Otokar’s Amphibious-Capable 4×4 — Specs, Turkish Service and Exports Explained
Otokar’s COBRA II has moved from a Turkish internal-security vehicle to a NATO-scale export program. Unveiled at IDEF 2013, it now serves more than 20 users in 13 countries, and a 1,059-vehicle Romanian order signed in November 2024 has turned it into the first Turkish armored vehicle built on an EU production line. At home, Türkiye’s Defence Industry Agency (SSB) lists the national police and Gendarmerie as users.
| Builder | Otokar, Arifiye; Automecanica Mediaș plant in Romania |
| Turkish users | National Police and Gendarmerie (per SSB); series production for the Turkish Armed Forces from 2014 |
| Program status | Otokar-funded design, in series production |
| Fleet | More than 20 users in 13 countries; over 600 in NATO service |
| Flagship export | Romania, 1,059 vehicles, about €857 million (Nov 2024) |
| Debut | IDEF 2013 |
What Is COBRA II?
COBRA II succeeded Otokar’s original COBRA with a larger chassis, more armor and a roomier cabin, trading some of its predecessor’s compactness for squad-level capacity and MRAP-class protection. Its unusual selling point is an optional amphibious version, rare among blast-protected vehicles of this weight. Otokar cites 30 variants worldwide; Romania alone takes personnel carrier, reconnaissance, RWS-armed carrier, CBRN reconnaissance and ambulance versions.
Technical Specifications
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Type | 4×4 tactical armored vehicle with MRAP-level protection |
| Combat weight | About 12 t |
| Dimensions | 5.6 m long, 2.5 m wide, 2.2 m high |
| Capacity | 10 including driver and commander |
| Engine | 6.7-liter six-cylinder turbo diesel, 360 hp; six-speed automatic |
| Speed / range | 110 km/h / about 700 km |
| Amphibious | Optional amphibious version |
| Armament options | 7.62/12.7 mm RWS, 40 mm AGL, turrets up to 30 mm, Spike ATGM, mortar |
Figures come from Otokar and open sources and vary by fit.
Who Builds It and Program History
Otokar, part of Koç Group, designs and builds the vehicle at Arifiye, Sakarya. For Romania, the company opened its first EU plant at Automecanica Mediaș, a roughly 140,000-square-meter site that will build more than 780 of the Romanian vehicles. The vehicle was first shown in May 2013 and entered series production in 2014 for the Turkish Armed Forces and an undisclosed export customer.
SSB’s September 2026 briefing note from its Land Vehicles Department lists COBRA II with OTOKAR as contractor and the police and Gendarmerie as users, without contract milestones, reflecting a company-funded product.
Turkish Service and Deliveries
Turkish quantities have not been disclosed. The vehicle serves with the national police and Gendarmerie in internal security and rural operations, and open sources confirm Turkish Armed Forces production from 2014.
Exports
On November 27, 2024, Otokar signed a contract with Romania’s Ministry of National Defence for 1,059 COBRA IIs worth about €857 million excluding VAT. The first 278 are built in Türkiye and the rest in Romania over five years. Initial deliveries came in 2025; the first Romanian-built vehicle was unveiled at BSDA in May 2026, and deliveries from Mediaș began on July 23, 2026. The Diplomat Bucharest reports nearly 300 vehicles delivered by then, with 216 planned for 2026. Romania is the ninth European country to buy Otokar military vehicles, and more than 600 COBRA IIs now serve in NATO nations.
Other operators include Bangladesh (67 in 2017-2018), Azerbaijan, Tunisia, Ghana, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Saudi Arabia, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Rwanda, Morocco and Ecuador, and the vehicle serves in UN peacekeeping.
Trade Show Appearances
COBRA II debuted at IDEF 2013. At IDEF 2025 Otokar showed the Romanian configuration with a 25 mm cannon, and the first Romanian-built vehicle was presented at Black Sea Defense and Aerospace (BSDA) in Bucharest in May 2026.
Local Content and Key Subsystems
No official local-content figure has been published. Design, hull, armor and IP belong to Otokar, which is what allows production transfer to Romania. The engine is a 6.7-liter six-cylinder turbo diesel; its origin is not clearly stated in public sources.
Global Counterparts
COBRA II competes with the Oshkosh M-ATV and JLTV, the Arquus Bastion and the Iveco LMV. Its advantages are a ten-seat cabin, an amphibious option that none of those rivals offers as standard, and Otokar’s willingness to localize production, a combination that carried it to victory in Romania.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who builds COBRA II?
Otokar, in Türkiye and at its Mediaș plant in Romania.
How many has Romania ordered?
1,059 vehicles under a contract of about €857 million signed on November 27, 2024.
Is it amphibious?
An amphibious version is available.
Which Turkish forces use it?
The national police and Gendarmerie per SSB; series production for the Turkish Armed Forces began in 2014.
- KORKUT: ASELSAN’s 35 mm Self-Propelled Air Defense Gun — Specs, Turkish Service and Exports Explained
- KAPLAN STA: FNSS’s Tracked Anti-Tank Vehicle — Specs, Turkish Service and Exports Explained
- AKTAN: BMC and Koluman’s Battlefield Fuel Tanker — Specs, Turkish Service and Exports Explained
- BARKAN: HAVELSAN’s Armed Medium UGV — Specs, Turkish Service and Exports Explained
Featured photo: Presidency of Defence Industries (SSB)
Sources
- SSB Land Vehicles Department program briefing note, September 2026
- Otokar – €857 million COBRA II contract with Romanian MoD
- Otokar – First Romanian-built COBRA II at BSDA 2026
- The Diplomat Bucharest – Otokar begins deliveries of first Romanian-built Cobra II (24 July 2026)
- Romania Insider – Otokar signs EUR 857 mln Cobra II contract
- Army Recognition – Otokar delivers first Cobra II vehicles to Romania
- Army Recognition – Otokar unveils Cobra II for Romanian Army at IDEF 2025
- Army Technology – Cobra II Tactical Wheeled Armoured Vehicle
- Wikipedia – Otokar Cobra II
