SULAIMANI (ESTA) — Iraq plans to manufacture light weapons aiming to fill the domestic needs and to support the national economy, the country’s military industrial authority chief said on Saturday.
Mohammed al-Daraji said the military industrial authority had made efforts to restore the defense industry to ensure that equipment and light weapons are locally manufactured.
“The lines to manufacture light and medium weapons such as rifles, pistols and equipment will begin this year,” Daraji added.
The aim “is to reach a good percentage of self-sufficiency and to help the military and security forces have sufficient weapons and equipment,” he said.
Iraq is currently dependent of the import of arms from the U.S. and other countries. But the country has had prior experience in the manufacture of light weaponry and the modification of Russian missiles.
Daraji said Iraq “has great experiences” in military manufacturing and that it “will depend on the skills of youths employed in the ministry of defense.”
