Engineer Iulian TOADER, Ph.D Candidate*
Abstract: The development of the armaments industry in Romania was a long process that experienced periods of progress and regression as a result of internal and external causes. The development process of this industry began after the Decree of Prince Alexandru Ioan Cuza, of August 26, 1861, by which the Directorate of Artillery Material Establishments for the manufacture of gunpowder was established. This directorate owned: the Powder Factory, the Pyrotechnics and the Army Construction Arsenal. At the end of August 1915, a new Pyrotechnics was established next to the old one. After the First World War, two new construction arsenals were built, armaments in Sibiu and Roman. In 1935, the development of an endowment program began for the reorganization and modernization of existing factories and the establishment of new armaments factories. Before World War II, the Reșița Factories manufactured anti-aircraft (AA) guns and 120 mm howitzers, and the Astra Brașov Factories also manufactured AA guns. The Concordia Ploiești Factories manufactured anti-tank guns and ammunition. The Copșa Mică Factories produced machine guns and cartridges. Other factories manufactured grenades, pistols and warheads. The Malaxa Factories manufactured warheads, artillery shells and tracks. In 1923, the first aeronautical factory was established, and later other aircraft and warship factories were established. But after 1947, with the help of the USSR, new factories were established and old ones were modernized for the manufacture of weapons and ammunition. After the invasion of Czechoslovakia (after 1968) Romania began to manufacture weapons under Romanian license, including tanks.
Keywords: weapons, industry, history, military capabillities, modernization, Romania.
DOI 10.56082/annalsarscimilit.2025.1.92
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* “CAROL I” National Defense University, Bucharest, Romania, email: iuliantoader@yahoo.com
PUBLISHED in Annals Academy of Romanian Scientists Series on Military Sciences, Volume 17 no 1, 2025
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