Romania to Field Enok 4x4 Light Airborne Vehicles with Spike Anti-Tank Missiles by 2026.

According to information published by the German company ACS (Armored Car Systems) on June 5, 2025, during the SEESOF (South East Europe Special Operations Forces) Forum held from June 4 to 5, 2025, in Târgu Mureș, Romania, the company officially announced a new contract with the Romanian Ministry of Defense. In collaboration with EuroSpike GmbH, ACS will deliver a fleet of Enok 4x4 light tactical vehicles configured with an open-top architecture and equipped with Rafael’s Spike anti-tank missile system. 
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German-made Enok 4x4 light tactical vehicle in open-top airborne configuration fitted with a roof-mounted Rafael Spike anti-tank guided missile weapon station, as selected by Romania for its rapid intervention forces. (Picture source: ACS)

The contract reflects Romania’s growing emphasis on agile anti-armor capabilities aligned with NATO’s modern warfare doctrines. The Enok vehicles selected for this requirement feature a lightweight, open-top design based on the battle-proven Mercedes-Benz G-Class chassis. Developed by ACS for elite forces, the Enok airborne variant is optimized for tactical air transport by aircraft such as the C-130 Hercules or C-27J Spartan, and rotary platforms like the CH-47 Chinook. This configuration allows the vehicle to be deployed quickly into forward or austere environments where traditional armored assets would be too heavy or slow to operate effectively.

Mounted atop each Enok is a roof-positioned weapon station integrated with the Rafael Spike anti-tank guided missile system. This top-mounted launcher enables 360-degree targeting capability and gives operators the ability to engage enemy armor with precision firepower from a mobile platform. The open-top architecture of the Enok further enhances tactical responsiveness, allowing crews to quickly access the weapon system for manual or remote operation, reloading, or rapid repositioning during high-tempo engagements.

The Spike missile system, developed by Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and delivered through EuroSpike GmbH—a joint venture between Rafael, Rheinmetall, and Diehl Defence—is a state-of-the-art solution for anti-armor missions. The likely variant chosen for Romania is the Spike LR2, which features a dual electro-optical seeker, fire-and-forget and fire-observe-and-update modes, and a maximum ground-launched range of 5.5 kilometers. Its tandem high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) warhead is capable of defeating modern main battle tanks equipped with reactive or composite armor. With its fiber-optic data link, Spike offers operators the ability to adjust targeting in real time, switch targets mid-flight, or abort the mission if needed—capabilities that dramatically enhance operational flexibility in complex or rapidly changing combat conditions.

The Enok-Spike pairing embodies a shift in military thinking influenced by lessons from ongoing high-intensity conflicts such as the war in Ukraine. There, mobile, lightweight units armed with precision munitions have demonstrated the ability to disrupt and neutralize larger armored formations using speed, maneuverability, and stand-off firepower. Stefan Koppold, Head of Sales Engineering at ACS, emphasized this operational relevance: "We see the effectiveness of such a concept clearly in Ukraine, where mobile, light anti-tank units using precision weapons are reshaping defensive strategies. This is why we also see this as a viable solution for the German Bundeswehr."

Romania’s new Enok vehicles are expected to be fully delivered by 2026. Upon entering service, they will provide Romanian Special Forces and rapid deployment troops with a highly capable and deployable anti-tank system, capable of operating in both urban and rural theaters. The acquisition reflects Romania’s broader efforts to modernize its land forces, reinforce NATO interoperability, and adopt combat-proven Western technologies that offer tactical superiority in fast-evolving battlefield conditions.

The Enok’s design allows it to fulfill multiple roles including reconnaissance, fire support, command and control, and direct action. When armed with the Spike missile system, it becomes a dedicated anti-tank platform with long-range engagement capabilities and the ability to strike from concealed positions before quickly relocating. This makes it especially valuable in asymmetrical conflict zones where mobility and rapid reaction are essential to survivability and mission success.

The participation of ACS and EuroSpike at SEESOF 2025 highlighted the increasing relevance of regional defense cooperation in Southeastern Europe and the strategic importance of equipping modern forces with integrated, networked firepower. Romania’s selection of this specific Enok-Spike configuration underscores a forward-looking defense posture focused on flexibility, speed, and advanced lethality.