Israeli rifles and machine guns to be made in the Netherlands

Israel Weapon Industries (IWI) and Dutch defense company Artillerie Inrichtingen Armaments (AIA) plan to build IWI’s ARAD 5 rifle and NEGEV UX machine gun in the Netherlands, the companies said in a joint statement.

AIA will set up a new factory in the country to manufacture and assemble the two weapons.

Under the plan, IWI will provide the technology, product know-how and manufacturing expertise, while AIA, based in Tilburg, will build the Dutch production line and the infrastructure to deliver and support the weapons. The companies described the project as a basis for long-term domestic production, technical expertise and lifecycle support in the Netherlands.

“A strong Dutch industrial base is fundamental to national security,” said AIA CEO Gerard Zondervan. “The Netherlands needs the ability to manufacture, develop expertise and support the defense systems on which its security depends.”

The ARAD 5 is IWI’s modular 5.56 mm rifle, built around a short-stroke gas piston and designed to accept quick barrel changes and standard AR-pattern magazines, the same type used in most NATO assault rifles. The ARAD family has been picked up by several foreign militaries, and Argentine troops received their first Israeli ARAD rifles as part of a broader small arms replacement.

The NEGEV UX is a lighter version of IWI’s Negev machine gun, chambered for 7.62 mm ammunition and weighing about 6.8 kg (15 pounds). It can fire in semi-automatic and full-automatic modes and has a two-position gas regulator for normal and harsh conditions such as mud and sand. The Israel Defense Forces ordered thousands more Negev machine guns in July 2025 in a deal worth NIS 67 million ($21.1 million), with deliveries scheduled for 2026 and 2027.

“The future of defense manufacturing will be shaped by the ability to turn proven technology into operational capability where it is needed,” said Ronen Hamudot, vice chairman of SK Group, IWI’s parent company.

IWI is the main supplier of small arms to the Israeli military and police and says its weapons are used in more than 60 countries. Besides the ARAD and Negev, it makes the TAVOR bullpup rifle and is known for the UZI submachine gun. The company has also been pushing upgrades to its existing rifles in Europe, where IWI’s rifle upgrade is drawing interest from armies near Russia and Ukraine.

AIA develops and makes ammunition, weapon systems and counter-drone equipment, including remotely controlled weapon stations. The company takes its name from Artillerie-Inrichtingen, the Dutch state arsenal whose roots go back to 1679. It has worked with Israeli firms before, signing a partnership in February 2025 with drone maker XTEND.

The Netherlands has been looking to expand domestic arms production as European governments raise defense spending and try to cut reliance on foreign suppliers. Local production of IWI weapons would give the Dutch industry its own small arms line, something the country has not had on this scale for decades.