Arms industry in Romania

PSL sniper rifle
Small arms made by UM Cugir
LAROM multiple rocket launcher
B-33 Zimbru APC (licensed built BTR-80)
MLI-84M infantry fighting vehicle
TR-85M1 Bison tank
IAR 99 Şoim jet trainer and light attack aircraft
IAR 330 Puma Naval

Before 1989, Romania was among the top ten arms exporters in the world, however its arms industry declined considerably during the 1990s. Exports fell from roughly $1 billion before 1989 to about $43 million in 2006,[1] and the number of employees also fell from 220,000 in 1990 to 20,000 in 2009.[2] Sales to the Romanian Armed Forces have plunged after Romania's accession to NATO in 2004, as factories continue to produce Warsaw Pact-caliber weapons and ammunition, which are incompatible with their Western counterparts. There have also been criticisms related to the quality of Romania's military products, due to the obsolescence of factory equipment and production methods. The Cugir weapons plant, for example, still uses some machinery dated from 1890.[3]

As of 2009, sales are roughly evenly divided between the Romanian state and foreign customers such as European Union and Arab countries such as Egypt, Algeria and Iraq.[4] Other countries which have shown interest in Romanian equipment include Afghanistan, Israel, Switzerland, the United States, the United Arab Emirates, India, Georgia and a slew of African countries.[5] There have been some signs of slight recovery, with exports reaching €141 million in 2009. However, the arms industry in Romania still lags behind neighboring countries such as Ukraine,[6] Bulgaria[7] and Serbia.[8]

In recent years, the Romanian government has called, unsuccessfully, for the lifting of the European Union arms embargo on the People's Republic of China.

Manufacturers

Weapons and equipment

Small arms

AFVs

Artillery

  • M-1980/1988 30 mm x 3 towed anti-aircraft gun
  • M-1988 60 mm infantry mortar
  • M-1977 81/82 mm infantry mortar
  • M-1982 120 mm infantry mortar
  • M-1982 76 mm mountain gun M48
  • M-1993 98 mm mountain howitzer
  • M-1977 100 mm antitank gun 2A19/T-12 antitank gun
  • M-1982 130 mm towed field gun M1954 (M-46)
  • M-1981 152 mm towed gun-howitzer M1955 (D-20)
  • M-1985 152 mm howitzer 2A65
  • M-1989 122 mm self-propelled howitzer 2S1
  • LAROM MLRS 122 mm x 20 rockets x 2 / 160 mm x 13 rockets x 2
  • ATROM 155mm self-propelled howitzer System

Aircraft

Weapons produced during World War II and the Interwar period

75 mm Reșița anti-tank gun
TACAM R-2 tank destroyer
IAR-80 fighter aircraft
Amiral Murgescu minelayer/destroyer escort

Small arms

Artillery

AFVs

Aircraft

  • IAR 80 fighter (346 built)
  • IAR 37 reconnaissance and light bomber (380 built)
  • IAR 27 trainer (over 200 built)
  • IAR 79 bomber (72 built)
  • SET 7 trainer and reconnaissance (123 built)

Warships

Weapons produced during World War I and prior

250 mm Negrei mortar

Artillery

Aircraft

Warships

References

  1. ↑ http://www.businessmagazin.ro/actualitate/investitii-in-transeele-industriei-de-armament-979654
  2. ↑ http://www.money.ro/intern-1/firmele-romanesti-de-armament-vor-ca-romania-sa-urgenteze-semnarea-codurilor-de-conduita-ale-eda.html%5Bpermanent+dead+link%5D
  3. ↑ http://www.evenimentul.ro/articol/industria-romaneasca-de-armament-a-intrat-in-colaps.html
  4. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2009-11-13. Retrieved 2009-11-30.
  5. ↑ http://stiri.rol.ro/content/view/478645/5/%5Bpermanent+dead+link%5D
  6. ↑ Tsukanova, Anya (October 7, 2008). "Pirates shine spotlight on Ukraine arms-trafficking". Manila Times. Archived from the original on 11 December 2008. Retrieved 30 December 2008.
  7. ↑ Bulgaria's Arms Export Totals US$250 Million Annually
  8. ↑ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-11-22. Retrieved 2009-11-30.
  9. ↑ Third Axis. Fourth Ally. Romanian Armed Forces in the European War, 1941-1945, p. 29
  10. ↑ Third Axis. Fourth Ally. Romanian Armed Forces in the European War, 1941-1945, pp. 30 and 75
  11. ↑ Third Axis. Fourth Ally. Romanian Armed Forces in the European War, 1941-1945, p. 29
  12. ↑ Third Axis. Fourth Ally. Romanian Armed Forces in the European War, 1941-1945, p. 75
  13. ↑ Third Axis. Fourth Ally. Romanian Armed Forces in the European War, 1941-1945, p. 75
  14. ↑ Third Axis. Fourth Ally. Romanian Armed Forces in the European War, 1941-1945, p. 30
  15. ↑ Third Axis. Fourth Ally. Romanian Armed Forces in the European War, 1941-1945, p. 30
  16. ↑ Charles K. Kliment, Vladimir Francev, Czechoslovak Armored Fighting Vehicles, Atglen, 1997, pp. 113-114
  17. ↑ Ronald L. Tarnstrom, Balkan Battles, Trogen Books, 1998, p. 341
  18. ↑ Ronald L. Tarnstrom, Balkan Battles, Trogen Books, 1998, p. 407
  19. ↑ Romanian Civilization, Volume 7, Romanian Cultural Foundation, 1998, p. 8
  20. ↑ Romanian Civilization, Volume 7, Romanian Cultural Foundation, 1998, p. 8
  21. ↑ Mark Axworthy, Cornel I. Scafeș, Cristian Crăciunoiu, Third Axis, Fourth Ally: Romanian Armed Forces in the European War, 1941-1945, Arms and Armour, 1995, p. 233
  22. ↑ Steven J. Zaloga, Tanks of Hitler's Eastern Allies 1941-45, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2013, p. 31
  23. ↑ Romanian Civilization, Volume 7, Romanian Cultural Foundation, 1998, p. 8
  24. ↑ Steven J. Zaloga, Tanks of Hitler's Eastern Allies 1941-45, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2013, p. 31
  25. ↑ Ronald L. Tarnstrom, Balkan Battles, Trogen Books, 1998, p. 407
  26. ↑ Steven Zaloga, Romanian Armour in World War Two, Military Modelling, November 1987, ISSN 0026-4083
  27. ↑ Spencer C. Tucker, World War II at Sea: An Encyclopedia: An Encyclopedia, p. 633
  28. ↑ Adrian Storea, Gheorghe Băjenaru, Artileria română în date și imagini (Romanian artillery in data and pictures), p. 54 (in Romanian)
  29. ↑ Adrian Storea, Gheorghe Băjenaru, Artileria română în date și imagini (Romanian artillery in data and pictures), p. 63 (in Romanian)
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