Accompanied by Minister of Defense David Tonoyan and Minister of High-Tech Industry Hakob Arshakyan, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan visited the newly-commissioned Kalashnikov sub-machine-gun factory in Armenia.

The Prime Minister toured the AK-103 assembly shop, created on the basis of Neutron CJSC. RF Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Armenia Sergey Kopyrkin attended the Premier during the factory tour.

The Prime Minister was told that 50 thousand sub-machine-guns will be produced annually at the plant. 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. A relevant agreement between Royalsys Engineering ltd. and the Kalashnikov Concern was signed as early as in August, 2018. Part of the output will be exported following the plant’s full commissioning.

Prime Minister Pashinyan highlighted the importance of the Armenian Kalashnikov sub-machine-gun factory, noting that the project came into life owing to close cooperation between Armenia and Russia in the field of military industry.

The Head of Government was next briefed on Neutron’s future projects. He was told that the cartridge manufacturing facility is being moved from Yerevan to Kotayk Marz. After refurbishment, the host factory will produce cartridges of 7.62x39, 7.62x54, 12.7, 9x18 and 9x19 mm calibers. This will help create several new jobs.

USD 24 million-worth 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 7.62x39 mm, 7.62x54 mm, 12.7 mm calibers, as well as for the refurbishment of Soviet-era production lines. The Kotayk subsidiary is supposed to launch a workshop for the repair of motor vehicles and armored vehicles.