Israeli Defense Firm IWI and Dutch AIA to Establish Local Arms Production
Israeli defense firm IWI and Dutch company AIA are partnering to establish local manufacturing and maintenance of Arad rifles and Negev machine guns in the Netherlands.
Israeli defense contractor IWI, a subsidiary of SK Group owned by businessman Sami Katsav, has partnered with Dutch defense company AIA to establish a local manufacturing and assembly facility for Arad rifles and Negev machine guns in the Netherlands. Under the agreement, IWI will transfer manufacturing technology and technical expertise, while AIA will oversee plant infrastructure development to ensure local supply and maintenance support.
The initiative focuses on producing the Arad 5 rifle and the Negev UX machine gun. The joint venture aims to build a long-term industrial framework that includes local production capabilities, technical training, and lifecycle maintenance support for military clients.
AIA CEO Gerard Zondervan emphasized the strategic importance of domestic production capabilities. "The Netherlands must be able to manufacture the weapon systems upon which its security relies, develop expertise in them, and support them locally," he stated, highlighting the expansion of domestic industrial participation in defense supply chains.
IWI, globally renowned for inventing the Uzi submachine gun, manufactures the Tavor and Arad assault rifles alongside the Negev light machine gun series. According to company data, its weapon systems are deployed by military forces, law enforcement agencies, and special operations units in over 60 countries, including supplies to the IDF and Israeli police.
Artillerie Inrichtingen Armaments (AIA) specializes in the development and manufacturing of ammunition, weapon systems, and counter-drone solutions, including remote-controlled weapon stations. Its historical roots in the Dutch defense sector trace back to 1679.
Ronen Hamudas, Vice Chairman of SK Group, noted that the agreement advances the conglomerate's strategy of expanding global production partnerships. "This collaboration is an opportunity for us to bring decades of experience in developing and manufacturing combat-proven weapon systems to a new industrial arena," Hamudas said.
