Armenia to Open Kalashnikov Rifle Factory in Early July

Armenia will open a factory for the production of Kalashnikov rifles in the first ten days of July. This was announced during a press tour by Igor Gardienko, a representative of the company’s management. The enterprise is established on the basis of a cooperation agreement between Neutron GAM LLC and the Russian Kalashnikov concern, which was finally signed on May 15, 2020, for a duration of 10 years. This agreement underwent a long process of approvals and confirmations in Russia. Initially, it required interdepartmental and other technical agreements, followed by a decree from the President of Russia. The presidential decree was issued in August 2019, after which the federal military-technical service (ФС ВТС) approved and permitted the companies to conclude the contract for ten years. After that, the contract must be renewed annually under the condition that the relevant conditions are met. This is especially interesting given that all documents were obtained at a time when, according to media reports, the company’s owner, Davit Galstyan, faced significant issues in Russia and was declared a persona non grata.

Initially, the military-industrial factory will assemble AK-103 type rifles. The assembly of the AK-103 rifle will occur from scratch, with components being supplied from Russia in the initial phase. “In the first phase, we will receive replacement parts for the AK-103 rifles, which will be assembled at this factory through the entire technological chain, right up to loading. After the first phase, we will start the second phase, which implies the local production of simple components necessary for assembly, again using Russian technology,” Gardienko explained. All phases have their respective approvals and documentation, and the company must continuously ensure the technical and other conditions. He emphasized that the plant's capacity allows for production volumes reaching into the tens of thousands.