New Kalashnikov assault rifles to be produced in Armenia

Armenia will soon begin producing the newest models of Kalashnikov assault rifles – the AK-12 and AK-15.

Artsrun Hovhannesyan, a spokesman for the Armenian Ministry of Defence, reported that the agreement had been signed in Moscow:

“The agreement was signed by the President of Royalsys Engineering Ltd, David Galstyan, and the deputy director of the Kalashnikov Concern, Andrey Baryshnikov,” Hovhannesyan said.

All of the details regarding the agreement are as of yet unknown. Military expert Karen Vrtanesyan points out that the Armenian company is ‘completely unknown’.

Another expert in the field from Moscow, Leonid Nersisyan, says that the Armenian side will most likely be responsible for assembling the weapons:

“It seems to me that [the main activity] will either be assembly or the production of individual components. More likely assembly. Most of the parts will be sent from Russia.”

Nersisyan says that the decision of the Kalashnikov Concern is economically advantageous:

“In terms of logistics, it is easier to ship the parts to Armenia, and assembling in Armenia is cheaper because the salaries are lower. For the Armenian side, it means more work places.”

Nersisyan says that it is still too early to speak about long-term investments in the Armenian military industry, and that much will depend on the extent and range of production of the Kalashnikov AK-12 and AK-15 weapons.