JAKARTA, Indonesia. Nov 24 (Interfax-AVN) - The Izhmash consortium has offered Indonesia to obtain a license to produce Kalashnikov assault rifles at an Indonesian enterprise, rather than effect supplies of ready weapons only.
"We are ready to discuss license assembly of Kalashnikovs in Indonesia," the consortium's Director for Foreign Economic Activity Andrei Semyonov told Interfax-AVN at the INDO Defense 2006 Expo & Forum in Jakarta.
He added that assembly of Kalashnikov would be an easy job for Indonesian Pindad that specializes in small arms production.
"According to our sources, many production facilities of the company are idling, and license assembly of our assault rifles would be a serious influx into their operation. We are also interested in this," Semyonov said.
The Indonesian market is very large and promising, which is the main reason why Izhmash is participating in the arms show in Jakarta for the second time, he noted. Main efforts are now focused on studying the market.
"The previous show demonstrated that the interest to our small arms, and primarily Kalashnikovs of the 10th series, is immense. Indonesia is very much concerned with technical reequipment of is Armed Forces. And we have weapons to offer," he said.
Semyonov added that Kalashnikovs of Izhmash are quite renowned among the Indonesian military. About two years ago a batch of 10,000 AK-101 rifles was shipped to the country. The AK-101 is adjusted for NATO standard round, he noted.
Moreover, Izhmash brought its SVD and SVDS sniper rifles, the AN-94 Nikonov assault rifle, the Bizon submachine gun and the Krasnopol and Kitolov-2M guided artillery rounds to the Jakarta show.
According to Semenyov, Izhmash expanded its sales markets largely in 2005-2006, with supplies provided to more than 30 countries during this period.