ROMANIAN TANK PRODUCTION PROGRAM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NGA Records (Formerly NIMA)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP84T00491R000100550001-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 26, 2012
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: February 1, 1984
• Content Type: MISC

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/11/26: CIA-RDP84T00491 R000100550001-6
imagery analysis report
Romanian Tank Production
Program (S)
See
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FEBRUARY 1984
Copy 44
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Warning Notice
Intelligence Sources or Methods Involved
(WNINTEL)
NATIONAL SECURITY INFORMATION
Unauthorized Disclosure Subject to Criminal Sanctions
NOFORN- Not Releasable to Foreign Nationals
NOCONTRACT - Not Releasable to Contractors or
Contractor/Consultants
PROPIN - Caution-Proprietary Information Involved
ORCON - Dissemination and Extraction of Information
Controlled by Originator
REL ... This Information has been Authorized for
Release to ...
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SECRET
ROMANIAN TANK PRODUCTION PROGRAM (S)
INTRODUCTION
1. The Romanian Ministry of National Defense began a military research and development (R&D)
program in 1969 that included provisions for the design and production of an indigenous medium tank.
Through the correlation of photographic intelligence (photint) it has
been confirmed that the program is indeed underway. By 1983, two indigenous tank models had been
developed and more than 200 tanks had been produced for internal use or export to the Third World.
This report identifies the R&D, production, and testing facilities developed to implement this program.
The report also addresses issues raised in the US Foreign Intelligence Requirement Categories and
Priorities' concerning Romania's capabilities to perform research, development, testing, and evaluation
on ground force systems and its ability to transfer arms and military assistance. (S/WN/NOFORN)
2. Although a member of the Warsaw Pact, Romania was not provided with modern Soviet weapons
and equipment as were other members of the Pact. This situation was mainly the result of the cooling of
relations between Romania and the Soviet Union after the 1968 Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia and the
perception by the Romanian government that the Soviet Union had aggressive intentions toward Ro-
mania. Because of these strained relations, the Soviets either would not give the Romanians the spare
parts they needed or would only sell them parts that were considered too expensive. To overcome these
difficulties and to allow the Romanians to eventually become independent arms producers, the Roman-
ian Ministry of National Defense created in 1969 a military R&D program to modernize the weapons and
equipment of the Romanian Army.2 (C/WN/NOFORN)
3. One of the provisions of this program called for the design and production of an indigenous
medium tank with a new chassis, engine, and transmission. The tank program was to be based on
Western and Soviet technology to be acquired through legal negotiations and subversive activities.2
Approximately 200 of these tanks, designated the TR-77 (formerly the M-1978) have already been pro-
duced, and a newer version, designated the TR-800, is in the late stages of development and should be
ready for deployment in the late 1980s.3 From the correlation of photint the following
facilities (keyed to Figure 1) are known to be involved in the Romanian tank development program:
1. Bucuresti Army Research and Development
Institute ICPM 111
2. Bucuresti Steel and Railroad Equipment
3. Mihai Bravu Tank Test Facility
4 Mizil Armored Vehicle Repair and
Development Plant(S/WN/NOFORN)
DISCUSSION
4. The R&D work for the tank program is
conducted at the Bucuresti Army R&D Institute
ICPM 111 (Figure 2), which was created expressly
for this purpose in late 1969 or early 1970.3 The
institute is on the Soseaua Oltenitei Highway in
southeastern Bucharest. In 1969, this institute con-
sisted of one multi-story administration/engineer-
ing building, one large vehicle storage building,
and two support buildings. Over the years this
facility has undergone major expansion, and now
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includes two new administration/engineering
buildings and four new vehicle engineering/as-
sembly buildings. Expansion of this facility indi-
cates that the Romanian R&D program is progress-
ing. In 1975 another institute, the National Institute
for Thermal Engines, was created to do the R&D
work on tank engines and to assist the Bucuresti
Army R&D Institute.2 This institute has not been
located through photint. (C/WN/NOFORN)
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NOFORN
1 Bucuresti Army Research and Development Ins itute1CPM 111
n
2 Bucuresti Steel and Railroad Equipment Pla
3 Mihai Bravu Tank Test Facility
4 Mizil Armored Vehicle Repair and Development Plant
FIGURE 1. FACILITIES INVOLVED IN TANK PRODUCTION, ROMANIA
mor side skirts and
them. The turret is similar to that on a Soviet T-55
tank and mounts a 100/105mm main gun with a
muzzle brake. The secondary armament is a
12.7mm antiaircraft machine gun with one or two
barrels. A 7.62mm coaxial machine gun and a laser
range-finder are mounted on the right side of the
turret. The tank also has six unevenly spaced
roadwheels and can carry two external fuel drums.
The tank was first deployed in mid-1980 at To-
praisar Army Barracks 001 It was
then deployed to all the maneuver regiments in
the 9th Motorized Rifle Division and in one tank
regiment of the 57th Tank Division in Romania.4
The TR-77s were subsequently withdrawn from
T-55. It is
without ar
5. Although the Romanian tank program has
been developing since the early 1970s, only the
TR-77 has been identified on imagery. The TR-77
(Figure 3) is basically a longer version of the Soviet
NP IC T- 9961
these units for refurbishment between June and
September 1983 and replaced by T-34 and T-55
tanks. (S/WN/NOFORN)
6. The TR-77 tank is produced at the Bucu-
resti Steel and Railroad Equipment Plan
(Figure 4) on the southeastern edge of Bucharest.
The plant contains nine production/assembly
buildings and numerous storage/support build-
ings. In late 1983, a large assembly building was
completed on the southern edge of the plant. This
is probably the building where the TR-77 is now
produced. Another large assembly building is in
the early stages of construction in the same area
and probably will be the building where future
prototype tanks, including the TR-800, will be
produced. Because of limited coverage of this
plant, a canvas-covered TR-77 tank was only first
observed in a storage yard (inset,
Figure 4). On the same date, a second canvas-
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 covered possible tank was on a trailer being towed
into the plant, and at least two possible tank
turrets were on railcars near one of the assembly
buildings within the plant. The observation of this
equipment was the first confirmation of TR-77 tank
production at this plant. Since that date, canvas-
covered tanks have been seen on two other occa-
sions, (S/WN)
R&D Testing
7, The TR-77 tank is tested at a recently iden-
tified tank-testing facility under construction in
Mihai Bravu, approximately 20nm southwest of
Bucharest. The Mihai Bravu Tank Test Facility (Fig-
ure 5), accessible by road and rail, consists of an
acceleration test track approximately 805 meters
long, a large high-bay vehicle test/maintenance
building, a firing-in butt, two water leak-test ba-
sins, a vehicle gradient test facility, and a railroad
loading dock. Vehicle tracks and the presence of
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five TR-77 medium tanks on indi-
cate that this facility is at least partially operational.
Construction of the test facility began in early 1980
and was in the late stages as of November 1983,
Completion of this test facility will greatly improve
Romania's capability to test the TR-77 and the TR-
800 tanks, No other known test facilities in Ro-
mania are as large or as well equipped. This new
facility is probably not associated with nearby
Mihai Bravu Army Barracks 002
which has its owns adjacent test/training area.
(S/WN/NOFORN)
Repair and Maintenance
8. TR-77 tanks are repaired and maintained
at Mizil Armored Vehicle Repair and Develop-
ment Plant (Figure 6). This plant was involved in
prototype and early TR-71 production until pro-
duction was switched to the Bucuresti
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plant sometime during 1981. The Mizil plant con-
sists of two final checkout buildings, two fabrica-
tion/assembly buildings, and 16 storage/support
buildings, A water leak-test basin is on the north-
ern edge of the plant and a small test track is north
of the plant. This test facility is not as large or well
equipped as the Mihai Bravu test facility. (S/WN)
Export of Tanks
9, On imagery of late February 1983, increas-
ing numbers of dark-toned TR-77 tanks were ob-
served parked adjacent to a large workshop at the
Mizil plant, These tanks were taken into the work-
shop for refurbishment, including the application
of a light-toned paint scheme.
one light-toned TR-77 was observed exiting
t e workshop in the direction of a nearby storage
yard, where other light-toned TR-77 tanks were
parked. As light-toned TR-77 tanks are not known
to be in the Romanian inventory, the tanks were
intended for export, probably to Egypt. (S/WN)
10. The TR-77 tanks refurbished at Mizil
were withdrawn from the Romanian barracks to
which they were originally deployed. Approxi-
mately 180.200 TR-77s were withdrawn from the
units at the time refurbishment was in progress at
Mizil. During this time, ground force units were
reequipped with the previously withdrawn T-34
and T-55 tanks. Approximately 80 TR-77 tanks have
been delivered to Egypt and stored at Al Maadi
Ordnance Maintenance and Storage Depot South-
east 0) through November 1983, The
removal of the TR-77s from the barracks, the
buildup of light-toned tanks in the storage yard at
Mizil, and the shipping of the tanks preceded the
arrival of TR-77 tanks in Egypt, (S/WN)
Conclusion
11, The expansion of the facilities associated
with the Romanian tank production program indi-
cates that the Romanians are serious about estab-
lishing their independence from the Soviet Union
in terms of arms production, The Romanians ap-
pear to be investing time and money to make sure
that the program continues at a steady rate and
incorporates improvements over time so that their
equipment can be competitive in the world arms
market. (S/WN)
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DOCUMENTS
1. CIA. US Foreign Intelligence Requirements Categories and Priorities, 1 Oct 82 (SECRET/NOFORN)
2. US Army. IR 2 350 0037 83, New Romanian Medium Tank, 18 Mar 83(CONFIDDENT/WN NTINTEL/ NOFORN)
3. DIA. DINSUM 88A-83, Defense Intelligence Summary, 5 May 83, page
CONTRACT/ORCON*) 83
4. DIA. DDB-1100-374-83, Warsaw Pact Ground Force Structure Troop List Southwestern TVD (U), Vol III, Jun
(SECRET/NOFORN)
*Extracted information is CONFIDENTIAL/NOFORN
RELATED DOCUMENTS
CIA Romanian Production of New Weapons and Equipment, 22 Apr 83 (CONFIDENTI-
AL/WNINTEL NOF N) TIAL/WNINTEL/NO-
EN
the 111th Tank Artillery Research Institute, 23 Jun 83 (CONFID
IAR-0081/83
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Secret
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