The Romanian defence industry will produce an unspecified new assault weapon incorporating modern technology meeting all the NATO standards, in cooperation with Italian group Beretta, economy minister Niculae Badalau said on Thursday, January 17 in a show at Antena 3.

The signing of the contract is scheduled for summer and the production will start in autumn, he added, according to local Mediafax.

The minister spoke of a plan to re-launch the national defence industry, which in 2017 posted exports of USD 120 million. Exports might rise to USD 150 million this year, and furthermore after a new gunpowder plant is developed. A project included in this plan is gunpowder production at the Fagaras factory, in collaboration with Pirochim Victoria.

"We are currently importing the gunpowder," the minister said, adding that a nitrocellulose plant will be built in Fagaras in the next two and a half years with state funds, which will be the most modern in Europe. Part of the output will be exported, Badalau added.

Fagaras used to be an important gunpowder production centre during the communist regime.

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editor@romania-insider.com

(photo source: Facebook / Niculae Badalau)