The Dutch company Ammunition Artillery Industries (AIA), together with Israel Weapons Industries (IWI), plans to start production of Israeli ARAD 5 assault rifles and NEGEV UX light machine guns in the Netherlands.
For this purpose, AIA will build a new factory, and the Israeli side will provide technology, production documentation and the required technical support.
The company will engage not only in assembling weapons, but also in subsequent maintenance.
The ARAD 5 is a short-stroke, gas-operated, modular 5.56mm automatic rifle that features a quick-change barrel and standard AR-15 platform magazines.
In turn, the NEGEV UX is a lightweight version of the Negev 7.62 mm machine gun, weighing approximately 6.8 kg, developed on the basis of a family of machine guns that have already been proven in battles against militants in Gaza and Lebanon.
Such localization often precedes major arms auctions, as it allows the customer to offer the manufacture and service of arms directly in their country or nearby.