Israeli arms maker strikes Dutch deal to manufacture rifles, machine guns in Europe

The Netherlands is set to manufacture Israeli weapons on its own soil through a new partnership between an Israeli firearms maker and a Dutch defence company. The move comes amid growing European efforts to strengthen domestic defence production and increasing political pressure in the Netherlands over Israel's actions in the Palestinian territories.

According to Reuters, Israeli firearms manufacturer Israel Weapon Industries (IWI) and Dutch defence company Artillerie Inrichtingen Armaments (AIA) announced on Monday that they plan to manufacture and assemble two Israeli weapon systems in the Netherlands, the ARAD 5 rifle and the NEGEV UX machine gun. Under the agreement, IWI will provide the technology, product expertise and manufacturing know-how, while AIA will establish the manufacturing infrastructure in the Netherlands and oversee production, delivery and support of the weapons.

Assembly will begin at AIA's facility in Tilburg before gradually expanding to partial manufacturing and eventually full domestic production. The companies have not disclosed the investment amount, production capacity or timeline for the transition to full domestic manufacturing. AIA chief executive Gerard Zondervan said the Netherlands needs the ability to manufacture, develop expertise and support the defence systems on which its security depends. The companies also clarified that the Dutch government was not involved in the agreement.

The ARAD 5 is a modular assault rifle designed for infantry, special forces and law enforcement units. It uses 5.56×45mm NATO ammunition and can also be configured to fire .300 Blackout rounds. The rifle features an adjustable stock, ambidextrous controls and a short-stroke gas piston system, allowing it to be adapted for different operational requirements.

The NEGEV UX is part of IWI's Negev family of light machine guns, designed to provide infantry units with sustained fire support. The Negev series includes 5.56mm and 7.62mm variants and uses a belt-fed ammunition system. Together, the two weapon systems are designed to serve different battlefield roles, with the ARAD 5 providing individual firepower and the NEGEV family offering heavier fire support to infantry units.

The development comes amid growing efforts by European countries to strengthen their domestic defence industries and reduce dependence on foreign suppliers. Russia's war in Ukraine has highlighted the importance of maintaining reliable weapons supplies and expanding manufacturing capacity to meet military requirements during prolonged conflicts.