On Thursday, May 30, 2024, at the facilities of the Romanian company Aerostar in Bacău, in the county of the same name in the central part of the country, a service center for the HIMARS multiple rocket launchers, was established.
Photo: Ministry of Defence of Romania
As stated in the press release from the Ministry of Defence of Romania dated May 31, the head of the department, Angel Tîlvăr, was the main guest at the inauguration of the facility, which will service the Romanian M142 HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System) launchers.
As a result of the collaboration between Lockheed Martin and Aerostar, the service center in Bacău will provide technical support for the HIMARS systems purchased by Romania from the United States government.
Minister Tîlvăr appreciated the establishment of the Center as a unique achievement of the collaboration between Aerostar and Lockheed Martin, through which Romania is joining the global network of maintenance and logistical support infrastructure for one of the most modern and advanced rocket artillery systems currently available.
“In addition to the strategic advantage of having in Romania, in the current security context, a secure solution for the maintenance of our own HIMARS systems, the establishment of this center creates the opportunity for the countries in the area whose armed forces are equipped with such systems to send their equipment for maintenance or repair works here, in Bacău, where they will benefit from the expertise of the best specialists in the field in the region,” Angel Tîlvăr stated.
The Romanian Minister of Defence emphasized the determination of his institution to include the country’s defense industry in all its planned procurement programs, both in terms of maintaining the latest generation equipment in the armed forces and, above all, through the integration of components produced as much as possible in Romania.
“The HIMARS Maintenance Center inaugurated today will also have an impact on the economic development of the area – no less than 2,000 residents of Bacău working here, in highly qualified positions, through the involvement of one of the most important companies of the national industry, Aerostar Bacău”, the minister added.
Romania purchased three rocket battalions, including a total of 54 M142 HIMARS mobile launchers integrated with Oshkosh M1140 FMTV (Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles) chassis, produced by Lockheed Martin under Law No. 46/2018 on the implementation of indirect fire support capabilities as part of the Long-Range Multiple Rocket System program. The first two battalions were delivered in 2021 and 2023, and the third is to be delivered this year.
To ensure a comprehensive level of maintenance for this system within the country, the Ministry of Defence requested the Ministry of Economy, Entrepreneurship, and Tourism to establish a procedure for designating a specific center, in accordance with the provisions of Law No. 232/2016 on the national defense industry. As a result of this procedure, a memorandum was approved, and Aerostar was chosen as the designated company.
The initiative aims to develop facilities crucial for the country’s defense infrastructure, with both ministries taking a proactive approach to developing capabilities that contribute to enhancing national security.
It is worth adding that, similarly, Poland established the HIMARS Academy at the Artillery and Armament Training Center (CSAiU) in Toruń on July 27, 2023. According to the Polish Ministry of National Defense, the academy serves all matters related to the logistics and servicing of HIMARS. The academy will also contribute to obtaining national competencies in training specialists and command staff.
Minister of National Defence, @AngelTilvar, participated in the inauguration ceremony of the HIMARS National Maintenance Center on Thursday, May 30th, at Aerostar Bacău.https://t.co/hQDFEpwmEC pic.twitter.com/TVzmc3riO7
— MApN (@MApNRomania) May 31, 2024