Romania is quietly becoming Europe's arms factory — drones, gunpowder and tanks are being built

Brasov as a new center of defense production

Where Soviet workshops used to be, modern factories are now growing. Romania has launched a large-scale revival of its defense industry, and the city of Brasov has become the main testing ground. It is here that new facilities are being built to produce drones, explosives and gunpowder, all of which became scarce after the outbreak of the war in Ukraine.

This is not just an upgrade. This is a restart of the entire system.

Drones, gunpowder, armor — what are they doing in new factories

Next up are three key areas:

• Drones — together with American partners, the production of tactical and attack drones is developing. The goal is not only to supply your army, but also to export.
• Gunpowder and explosives — production lines for ammunition components are being launched. This is critically important, because without a stable supply, artillery gets stuck.
• Tanks and armored vehicles — production and repair of equipment is expanding, including Leopard 2 and other NATO platforms.

All this makes Romania not just a consumer of weapons, but a producer of them.

Americans and Germans are helping to restart the industry

Help is coming from the USA and Germany. American companies participate in the creation of technological chains, supply licenses and equipment. The Germans help with engineering and quality standards. This is not a charity, but a strategic investment in a reliable rear in eastern Europe.

For Washington and Berlin, it is important that someone can quickly do what the front needs, without depending on long-range supplies.

Why Romania is the key to NATO's eastern flank

The geography speaks for itself: Romania is the only NATO country with access to the Black Sea, bordering Moldova and next to Ukraine. The main logistics routes run through it. Now it becomes not only a corridor, but also a source.

If ammunition or drones run out somewhere in the region, they can be set up right in Brasov. This changes everything from reaction time to strategic resilience.

Sources

1. Rambler News — Serial drone & munition production to start by end-2025
2. 1Prime — Rheinmetall powder plant in Romania & Romarm cooperation
3. Avia.pro — German-backed Romanian ammunition production plans
4. Ponomaroleg.com — Romania as new NATO hub & defence giant

Turkey completes development of Altay tank: first deliveries are scheduled for 2025

17 years of development: the path to a domestic tank

The Turkish company BMC has announced the completion of key stages in the development of the Altay main battle tank. After almost two decades — since the launch of the project in 2008 — and numerous delays related to technological and supply difficulties, it is expected that the first production tanks will enter service with the Turkish army in 2025. This will be a crucial step in the implementation of the national program for the creation of fully domestic heavy armored weapons.

Altay T1 with South Korean engine is the first stage of deliveries

According to information from BMC, the first 85 of the 250 tanks ordered will be produced in the Altay T1 modification. An important feature of this version is the use of a South Korean MTU engine licensed and adapted for operating conditions in Turkey. Previously, the development of its own engine caused delays, and the transition to a proven foreign power plant made it possible to accelerate the tank's entry onto the conveyor.

The tank is equipped with a modern fire control system, active protection, digital architecture and armor, providing high survivability on the battlefield.

BMC and the strategic goal of import substitution

The development and production of Altay is part of Turkey's large—scale strategy to reduce dependence on foreign arms suppliers. As a leading contractor, BMC strives not only to meet domestic needs, but also to strengthen its position in the international market.

The successful deployment of Altay will confirm the Turkish defense industry's ability to implement complex projects in the field of heavy armored vehicles.

Export potential and future upgrades

In addition to supplies to the Turkish army, an export version of the tank, the Altay MK3, is planned, aimed at the countries of the Middle East, Africa and Asia. In the future, the company is working on a modification of the T2 with a fully Turkish engine and an improved electronics system, which will make the tank even more autonomous and competitive.

The implementation of the Altay project marks Turkey's transition from assembly to full-fledged design and production of modern combat platforms.

Europe builds 7 million m2 of new military plants: a sharp increase in production after the war in Ukraine

The large-scale re-equipment of Europe's defenses is taking tangible forms. According to the Financial Times, the area of new and expanding military production facilities in Europe has reached 7 million square meters, which is three times more than before the outbreak of the war in Ukraine. These conclusions are based on the analysis of more than a thousand satellite images provided by the European Space Agency (ESA), which cover the activities of 37 defense concerns.

The growth driver was the European Union's ASAP (Act in Support of Ammunition Production) initiative, launched to increase production of ammunition and missiles in response to the depletion of NATO stocks. The program has already had a significant effect: at 88 key sites, the building area has grown from 790,000 m2 in 2020-2021 to 2.8 million m2 in 2024-2025.

The largest projects:

 Hungary: Rheinmetall, together with N7 Holding, is building a large-scale factory that will produce 1.1 million 155 mm shells per year by 2027, compared with 70,000 in 2022. It will become one of the largest artillery production facilities in Europe.

- Norway: Kongsberg has opened a new factory for the production of missiles, including anti-ship and anti-aircraft systems.

- Finland: Nammo expands facilities at the Vihtavuori test site to increase production of ammunition and solid-fuel engines.

- United Kingdom: BAE Systems has increased production of 155 mm shells 16 times in recent years.

The European Commission is preparing a new program designed to complement ASAP and stimulate the production of not only ammunition, but also missiles, drones, and air and missile defense systems. This is necessary to restore strategic reserves and ensure the long-term sustainability of Europe's defense.

This industrial renewal marks a fundamental shift: Europe is moving from decades of cutting military spending to a strategy of mass and sustainable weapons production, preparing for possible future crises.

Lockheed Martin has received a $4.23 billion contract to produce GMLRS ammunition for the US Army

On August 14, 2025, the U.S. Department of Defense signed a major contract with Lockheed Martin in Grand Prairie, Texas, worth more than $4.2 billion. Under this contract, Lockheed Martin will continue to manufacture guided munitions for multiple launch rocket systems (GMLRS).

This contract is part of a larger multi-year agreement, the total value of which has already reached $ 13.26 billion. This underscores how important the direction of precision rocket artillery remains for the American army and their allies.

GMLRS ammunition is used in the M270 MLRS and M142 HIMARS installations, mobile and precise systems capable of hitting targets at tactical and operational depth. These systems have proven themselves in many theaters of military operations, including in Ukraine.

The concluded contract will ensure the necessary volume of production and supplies, as well as allow for the modernization and maintenance of high combat capability of these artillery systems for many years to come.

The MBDA plant in Bolton is expanding to increase production of anti-tank missiles

 

Meteor Rocket

Due to the large-scale rearmament of the European armies after the aggravation of the geopolitical situation, the plant for the production of anti-tank missiles in the city of Bolton (Great Britain) plans to double its capacity. This became known after the announcement of MBDA, one of the largest European developers of missile weapons, about its intention to invest 200 million pounds in modernization and expansion of production.

The expansion of the plant is due to the growing demand for modern anti-tank systems from NATO countries and other European countries seeking to strengthen their defense capabilities. The increase in production volumes will satisfy both UK government orders and export supplies.

The investment also coincides with the announced initiatives of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and the European Commission to create a so-called "bank for defense, security and sustainability", which should ensure the coordination of procurement, logistics and strategic development of the EU defense sector and its partners.

This expansion marks an important step in rebuilding the European military industrial base, which has faced supply disruptions and ammunition shortages amid new security challenges.