Romanian army armored and combat vehicles at BSDA 2018 defense exhibition

BSDA 2018 News Online Show Daily
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At BSDA 2018, the Black Sea Defense & Aerospace exhibition, the Romanian ministry of Defense has presented the main armored and combat vehicles in service with the Romanian armed forces. Currently, the Romanian army is around 43,000 military personnel.

Romanian army armored and combat vehicles at BSDA 2018 defense exhibition TR 85M1 MBT 925 001
TR-85M1 main battle tank at BSDA 2018, the Black Sea Defense & Aerospace exhibition in Bucharest, Romania. May 16, 2018. (Picture source Army Recognition)

The Romanian Land Forces have overhauled their equipment in recent years, and are today a modern army with multiple NATO capabilities. They are participating in a peacekeeping mission in Afghanistan, together with the other NATO countries.

The main combat units of the Romanian army are the 2nd Infantry Division Getica, and the 4th Infantry Division Gemina. Until 2015 the Romanian land forces fielded a third division, namely the 1st Division Dacia. Before June 2008, the 1st and 4th divisions were known as the 1st Territorial Army Corps and the 4th Territorial Army Corps and in turn they used to be called the 1st Army and 4th Army prior to 2000. However, due to their personnel having been reduced considerably in order to reach compatibility with NATO standards they were renamed and reorganized as divisions. In 2010, the Joint HQ command was renamed as 2nd Infantry Division Getica and received units from the 1st and the 4th Infantry divisions.

Current combat vehicles in service with the Romanian army include main battle tanks with 54 TR-85M1, 104 TR-85 and 260 T-55. The backbone of the armoured infantry units is the MLI-84 , a local-made IFV (Infantry Fighting Vehicle) based on the Soviet-made BMP-1.

The TR-85 is a Romanian-made Main Battle Tank (MBT) design, based on the Soviet-made T-55 but with many improvements as a new suspension system and a new German diesel engine. The TR-85 M1 is an upgraded version of the TR-85 designed and built in Romania in the 1970s using German chassis technology but retaining some features of the Soviet-made T-54/T-55 MBT. The upgraded TR-85M1 MBT has a number of improvements including additional passive armour over the turret front and new all-electric gun control and stabilisation system.

Romanian army armored and combat vehicles at BSDA 2018 defense exhibition Piranha IIIC 925 001
Piranha IIIC of Romanian army at BSDA 2018, the Black Sea Defense & Aerospace exhibition in Bucharest, Romania. May 16, 2018. (Picture source army Recognition)

Romanian army also has different types of wheeled armoured vehicles including the 390 TAB-71, 153 TAB-77, 69 TAB Zimbru, and 377 TABC-79. The TAB is a family of wheeled armoured vehicle personnel carrier designed and manufactured in Romania based on Soviet-made wheeled APC as the BTR-70 and BRDM-2.

The Romanian Land Forces ordered about 100 US Army M1114 Humvees, that were delivered to the military police in December 2006. Romanian army has 50 Spanish-made 4x4 tactical vehicles URO VAMTAC.

To meet an Urgent Operational Requirement (UOR), Romania placed a contract with MOWAG of Switzerland for a total of 31 Piranha III (8×8) armored vehicles with deliveries running from 2007 through to 2008. In January 2017, General Dynamics European Land Systems has received a contract from the Romanian Armed Forces to supply a fifth batch of additional Piranha III 8×8 wheeled armoured vehicles to the army.

Romanian army armored and combat vehicles at BSDA 2018 defense exhibition LAROM 160mm MLRS 925 001
LAROM 160mm MLRS of Romanian army at BSDA 2018, the Black Sea Defense & Aerospace exhibition in Bucharest, Romania. May 16, 2018. (Picture source army Recognition)

For artillery and air defense units, main military equipment in service are the LAROM and the Gepard a German-made self-propelled anti-aircraft guns. It consists essentially of a modified Leopard 1 MBT fitted with a power-operated two-man turret armed with twin 35 mm Oerlikon Contraves 35 mm cannon, tracking radar on the turret front and surveillance radar on the turret rear.

The LAROM 160 is Multiple Launcher Rocket System (MLRS) jointly developed between Aerostar of Romania and Israel Military Industries. The Larom 160 mm MLRS is equipped with one two launch pod containers. Each container holds 13 LAR Mk IV rockets or 20 GRAD rockets. It can fire standard 122 mm rockets, as well as and advanced 160 mm rocket, with a firing range between 20 and 45 km.