September 20, 2024 | 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — The country’s largest defense manufacturer is firing up its artillery with a new product line that caters heavily to the military and law enforcement markets.
Armscor Global Defense Inc. (AGDI) launched the Rock Island Armory (RIA) Defense brand on Tuesday in a bid to revolutionize the local firearms manufacturing industry and strengthen the defense capabilities of the Philippines.
“Procurement in this country is heavily influenced by what foreign suppliers sell, which compels Filipino end-users to adapt to products that are not suited to their requirements,” AGDI vice president for business development and RIA Defense brand manager Daniel Tuason said.
Tuason said that there is still an “underserved segment” that needs attention as uniformed personnel lack the equipment suited for the country’s tropical environment.
After around three years of conception, design, and research and development, AGDI has come up with the initial products under the RIA Defense brand.
These include the RD4P Cobra, a short-stroke gas piston rifle that can shoot while and after being submerged in water, and the RD1, a multi-caliber pistol platform that can fire nine-millimeter rounds.
“With RIA Defense, we want to demonstrate that a Filipino company can manufacture world-class products designed by Filipinos…and also build its reputation as a globally competitive defense manufacturer,” Tuason said.
Aside from addressing environmental challenges, AGDI also aims to offer cheaper firearms and ammunition than those sold by foreign counterparts.
For nearly five decades, the company has been supportive of the self-reliant defense posture program that seeks to lessen the country’s dependence on foreign suppliers for its firearm needs.
“From our Marikina manufacturing facility alone, we produce over 650 million rounds of ammunition and about 350,000 firearms per year, and we are continually growing,” AGDI COO Felino Neri said.
The company, he added, has also deployed robotics and new technologies to manufacture high-quality products that are “comparable with the best in the world.”
Besides reinforcing the military market, AGDI also expects the new product line to provide a significant boost in the local economy with the creation of more employment opportunities.
“We’ll create between 200 and 300 new jobs. Currently, we’re about 1,700 here in Marikina, the main facility. We’ll be hiring additional personnel to fill the demand and have more contracts to fill,” AGDI chairman, president and CEO Martin Tuason said.
At present, AGDI exports to around 60 countries, including the United States, Australia and other Southeast Asian neighbors.
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