Armenia Launches Production of Kalashnikov Assault Rifles

YEREVAN — Accompanied by Minister of Defense David Tonoyan and Minister of High-Tech Industry Hakob Arshakyan, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan visited the newly-commissioned Kalashnikov assault rifles factory in Armenia.

The representative of the Kalashnikov concern Igor Gordienko stated that 50,000 automatic rifles and 150 million cartridges will be produced per year. In addition, the plant will manufacture nano-fibers and various nano-fiber-based products, including optoelectronic devices and night thermal back-sighs. After the final tests, the plant will come into operation within a year to fully meet the demand of the Ministry of Defense. He also added that there are plans to organize repair of armored vehicles and trucks as well as create at least 1,200 jobs.

The agreement on the production of the famous Russian rifles in Armenia was signed in August 2018 by “Royalsys Engineering ltd” and “Kalashnikov” concern. Part of the product will be supplied to the Armenian Armed Forces, and the rest will be exported.

$24 million-worth of contracts have been signed with the Russian Specmachengineering company, which imply the purchase of modernized production lines and equipment for the production of cartridges of 7.62×39 mm, 7.62×54 mm, 12.7 mm calibers, as well as for the refurbishment of Soviet-era production lines.