PRODUCTION AND EXPORT OF MILITARY PRODUCTS IN THE CONTEXT OF ROMANIA'S FOREIGN POLICY BETWEEN 1968 AND 1989

Since 1960, after massive investments in the refurbishment of factories and more specifically, of the factories producing military equipment, weapons and ammunition, the evolution of the national defense industry has been constant, Romania managing to produce more than necessary for its own armed forces, the surplus being exported to obtain a substantial contribution to the state budget. The performance of the domestic defense industry was known worldwide, with military products manufactured in the country being purchased by the Warsaw Pact member states, as well as by countries in the Arab world, Asia, Latin America and Africa. In this article we will analyze and highlight the peak period of the Romanian military industry, as well as its export performance, as the sale of military equipment on the international market has contributed substantially to stabilizing the trade balance of the Romanian state and paying off the national debt.