@Vogon
# F-16
I have to admit that much of the info regarding the Romanian F-16s (and F-16s in general with all the blocks and updates) are indeed confusing even for us.
From what I understand (I also look at F-16.net database) is that these now Romanian aicrafts were originally bought by the USAF in the 1980s as F-16A/B Block 15.
Then were sold to the Portughese and they upgraded them to MLU standard (F-16AM/BM) and I think this is the moment when they were also designated as F-16AM/BM Block 20.
Then the one sold to Romania were refurbished and modernized to the M5.2 tape, and among others their cockpit is now similar to the Block 50/52.
Now, the Romanian Air Force want to further upgrade them to the Tape M6.x in Romania at Aerostar Bacau.
Aerostar are the ones that upgraded the MiG-21s with Elbit and also Aerostar will be responsible for the maintenance works for F-16, Patriot and HIMARS.
When this was announced, I asked myself wtf is tape M6.x?
On F-16.net they listed the M6.1, M6.2 and M6.5 tapes but the Romanian Ministry of Defence stated only M6.x whatever it is that means, I really don't know (maybe only some elements of one of the M6 tapes)
I have to admit that these Romanian F-16 are some kind of Frankenstein, like a weird mix.
The best things (for us) with this second-hand F-16s is that modernization and maintenance works will be done by a Romanian company.
And these F-16s can be further upgraded to the F-16V standard with the AN/APG-83 SABR AESA radar. Taiwan is upgrading its F-16A/Bs to the F-16V standard. So I am hoping for that in the future.
# Piranha 5
From my perspective, I hate the Piranha deal !
With Piranha they killed the AGILIS 8x8 program with the Germans.
They said that the majority of Piranhas will be "manufactured" at UMB, but the reality is that UMB (the company that produced the TR-85 tanks) is performing only the assembly. I think that even the hulls are made in Switzerland.
Only 30 or 36 Piranhas were received so far from Switzerland and the program faced serious delays.
GDELS was even fined some millions of dollars by the Romanian Ministry of Defence for the delays.
I don't know yet how many Piranhas will be in the IFV version equipped with the Elbit UT-30 Mk 2 turret.
At least the turrets are made in Romania in a facility built by Elbit.
But our "smart decidents" haven't integrated yet the Spike missiles on the turret, although this can be done, and I am sure it will be done in the future
Now, AGILIS is almost 100% canceled.
This is the level of the American influence in Romania, because the Americans entered the game and promised that instead of AGILIS, Automecanica Moreni would produce an amphibious variant of the Piranha 4! (yes, 4).
So when the time of a new amphibious 8x8 troop carrier will come, it will probably be a derivate of the Piranha 4 instead of AGILIS.
# The Navy
There was a bid for four new corvettes for the Navy.
Naval Group won, so four Gowind 2500 corvettes will have to be built by the Constanta Naval Shipyard.
BUT!!! (Romanian shit) before the official opening of the envelopes with the bids, there were information leaks in the press with all the offers.
So after Naval Group was declared winner, Damen Group contested the bid so now this program is judged in Court, so is delayed. Only in Romania could have happened this shit.
# Reactive artillery
The LAROM can be further modernized to some extent but so far nothing have been done.
But the Romanian Military Equipment and Technologies Research Agency is working on thermobaric warheads for the 122 mm rockets.
They already developed thermobaric warheads for the AG-7 (Romanian version of RPG-7).
I will try to look through all the articles in the Romanian press regarding the F-16 deal and others, so I will come back in several days and will try to make a more detailed resume especially of the F-16 acquisition, the percent of GDP for acquisitions and more.
Thanks! Yes, AGILIS would have been Romanian ownership and more home production. U do a great job! We encourage U to provide the most accurate information possible to your home readers. I see U see your leaders sometimes make interesting decisions.
And sorry for these long posts, I have the tendency to talk too much.
This never happens to me.