Drizzt
Member
BBC Monitoring International Reports
October 9, 2003
LENGTH: 477 words
HEADLINE: GERMAN COMPANY TO DEVELOP NEW WEAPONS IN UKRAINE
BODY:
Kiev, 9 October: Ukraine and Germany will jointly develop and promote new weapons at global markets.
Germany's Schmeisser International, a world-renowned small arms producer, signed several agreements on designing, producing and promoting new types of small arms at global markets with Ukrainian partners in Kiev today.
Specifically, the company signed a long-term 10-year agreement with the institute of automated systems of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine to jointly develop a modern sniper rifle and a sub-machine-gun. The agreement provides for joint research in the area of ultra-light, ultra-strong metals and new technologies. Schmeisser International also signed an agreement with the chief designer of the Ukrainian-German company Schmeisser, Viktor Shevchenko, who had developed a 9-mm PARA pistol for special police and army units. The pistol is to be produced and sold in Ukraine and Germany.
According to another agreement signed, Schmeisser International products will be promoted by a Shooting World Cup and European champion, (Ukrainian) Nataliya Kalnysh.
"The documents signed today will be not only a significant step in Ukrainian-German relations but will also contribute to Ukraine's Euro-Atlantic integration," Schmeisser International director, Werner Resch, has said.
(Passage omitted: Resch praises the agreements)
Resch said it has been planned to begin mass production of new types of small arms in 2005.
Speaking about key features of new weapons, specifically the sub-machine gun, he said the gun would not require lubricants or cleaning, which would prove an advantage in certain combat regions. The gun would have an improved barrel and no recoil.
Answering a question from journalists, Resch clarified that the Ukrainian Vepr (modified AK-74 soon to be adopted by Ukraine's armed forces - Interfax) and the new sub-machine-gun are different weapons.
Among the partners in this project are the Kiev-based Artem company and the state company Scientific Centre for Precise Machine-Building (Kiev).
Schmeisser International estimates the sales of the new weapon to reach 100,000 units per year.
Schmeisser International has been working in Ukraine since 1993. Over these years, the joint company Schmeisser, which had been established by the German company and Ukraine's machine-building plant Vizard together with the Kiev-based Sapsan company specializing in making gas-spray pistols and active self-defence means (rubber bullet pistols), has produced over 100,000 pistols.
According to Schmeisser, it controls about 20-30 per cent of the Ukrainian market for these types of weapons.
The Ukrainian side owns 49 per cent of the joint venture, while the Germans own 51 per cent of shares.
Source: Interfax-Ukraine news agency, Kiev, in Russian 1538 gmt 9 Oct 03
October 9, 2003
LENGTH: 477 words
HEADLINE: GERMAN COMPANY TO DEVELOP NEW WEAPONS IN UKRAINE
BODY:
Kiev, 9 October: Ukraine and Germany will jointly develop and promote new weapons at global markets.
Germany's Schmeisser International, a world-renowned small arms producer, signed several agreements on designing, producing and promoting new types of small arms at global markets with Ukrainian partners in Kiev today.
Specifically, the company signed a long-term 10-year agreement with the institute of automated systems of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine to jointly develop a modern sniper rifle and a sub-machine-gun. The agreement provides for joint research in the area of ultra-light, ultra-strong metals and new technologies. Schmeisser International also signed an agreement with the chief designer of the Ukrainian-German company Schmeisser, Viktor Shevchenko, who had developed a 9-mm PARA pistol for special police and army units. The pistol is to be produced and sold in Ukraine and Germany.
According to another agreement signed, Schmeisser International products will be promoted by a Shooting World Cup and European champion, (Ukrainian) Nataliya Kalnysh.
"The documents signed today will be not only a significant step in Ukrainian-German relations but will also contribute to Ukraine's Euro-Atlantic integration," Schmeisser International director, Werner Resch, has said.
(Passage omitted: Resch praises the agreements)
Resch said it has been planned to begin mass production of new types of small arms in 2005.
Speaking about key features of new weapons, specifically the sub-machine gun, he said the gun would not require lubricants or cleaning, which would prove an advantage in certain combat regions. The gun would have an improved barrel and no recoil.
Answering a question from journalists, Resch clarified that the Ukrainian Vepr (modified AK-74 soon to be adopted by Ukraine's armed forces - Interfax) and the new sub-machine-gun are different weapons.
Among the partners in this project are the Kiev-based Artem company and the state company Scientific Centre for Precise Machine-Building (Kiev).
Schmeisser International estimates the sales of the new weapon to reach 100,000 units per year.
Schmeisser International has been working in Ukraine since 1993. Over these years, the joint company Schmeisser, which had been established by the German company and Ukraine's machine-building plant Vizard together with the Kiev-based Sapsan company specializing in making gas-spray pistols and active self-defence means (rubber bullet pistols), has produced over 100,000 pistols.
According to Schmeisser, it controls about 20-30 per cent of the Ukrainian market for these types of weapons.
The Ukrainian side owns 49 per cent of the joint venture, while the Germans own 51 per cent of shares.
Source: Interfax-Ukraine news agency, Kiev, in Russian 1538 gmt 9 Oct 03
