The Romanian Naval Forces are commissioning their first nine AAV-7 amphibious vehicles at a ceremony held in the Babadag garrison

The Romanian Naval Forces will commission their first nine AAV-7 amphibious assault vehicles at a ceremony scheduled for September 28 at 2:00 p.m. in the Babadag garrison. The vehicles will be assigned to the “Heracleea” 307th Marine Infantry Regiment to increase response capacity in the Danube Delta region and along the Black Sea coast.

The acquisition of the vehicles from the United States of America began in 2024 and will be carried out in two stages. The first involves the delivery of 21 vehicles, while the second covers another 44. Deliveries are planned for 2026-2027.

The AAV-7 is a tracked amphibious assault vehicle designed for operations in coastal areas and difficult terrain. It has a crew of three service members and can transport up to 21 equipped marines or up to five tons of cargo. Its standard armament includes an M2 heavy machine gun, 12.7 millimeters, and a 40-millimeter MK-19 grenade launcher, mounted in a common turret.

Service members from the 307th Marine Infantry Regiment have trained alongside U.S. Marines since 2011 and have jointly participated in multinational exercises involving AAV-7 vehicles. Their introduction into the Romanian Naval Forces’ inventory is intended to strengthen interoperability with similar NATO structures.