Israel Weapon Industries

Israel Weapon Industries
Private
Industry Arms/Defense
Founded 1933 (privatized 2005)
Headquarters Ramat HaSharon, Israel
Products Firearms, weapons
Number of employees
 500[1]
Website http://www.israel-weapon.com/

Israel Weapon Industries (IWI), formerly the Magen division of the Israel Military Industries Ltd. (IMI) is an Israeli firearms manufacturer.

It was founded in 1933. Formerly owned by the State of Israel, in 2005, the Small Arms Division of IMI was privatized and renamed IWI.

IWI is one of the world's most famous and bestselling military arms manufacturers.[2] The Magen division rose to international prominence in the 1950s, as the creator of the Uzi, of which over 10 million would be produced, netting billions of dollars for the company.[3] Subsequent well known military exports have included the Negev light machine gun, Galil assault rifle, Tavor assault rifle, and the DAN .338 sniper rifle.

IWI develops and manufactures guns used by armies and law enforcement agencies around the world.[4]

Product line

IWI's weapon systems include the Uzi submachine gun, Jericho and Barak handguns, the Negev light machine gun, Galil and Tavor assault rifle lines. The Galil is a compact assault rifle. The Negev is IWI's main light machine gun. The Jericho 941 is a semi-automatic pistol. The Tavor is a bullpup assault rifle.

In the 1980s an American firearms designer, Magnum Research, contracted IWI to re-design and manufacture a Magnum caliber (.44 Magnum, .357 Magnum and .50 AE), semi-automatic pistol. The result was the Desert Eagle.

Sniper rifles

In 2014, IWI launched the DAN .338 sniper rifle. The rifle is designed for light weight and compact carry. The chassis is made of aluminum alloy, the heavy fluted free floating barrel is 737 mm (29″) long. The new rifle weighs 6.9 Kg (15.2 pounds) without magazine, ammo, telescope and mount.

In 2014, IWI's DAN.338 sniper rifle was selected as the new sniper rifle of the British Army's SAS special forces unit.[5] The DAN sniper rifle has been used by the SAS to kill ISIS commanders in Syria and Iraq.[6]

Security training

IWI offers anti-terrorism training to Israeli citizens and contracts its services to outside countries requiring security training and anti-terror training to protect assets and high-ranking officials.[7] IWI collaborates with the Metropolitan College of New York (MCNY) in New York City, which offers a classroom-based MA degree in Public Administration, Emergency Management and Homeland Security. All students attend an intensive seminar in Israel covering Homeland Security and Anti-Terrorism topics with top security and military experts.[8]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "The success of the 'Tavor' has taken us by surprise" Amir Rapaport | 10/03/2014
  2. ↑ From missile boats to machine guns Ora Coren, Dec. 31, 2010, Haaretz
  3. ↑ Hackathorn, Ken (1995). "Using the Uzi". Fighting Firearms (Soldier of Fortune) 3 (1): 18–23
  4. ↑ Israel Weapon Industries website
  5. ↑ EXCLUSIVE: SAS snipers to get world’s best rifle — and it's made in IsraelDaily Star, By Neil Chandler / Published 3rd August 2014
  6. ↑ Poetic justice: SAS sniper blows head off ISIS chief who taught jihadis how to DECAPITATEThe Express, By KIERAN CORCORAN PUBLISHED: 04:34, Mon, Feb 15, 2016
  7. ↑ Security training
  8. ↑ Metropolitan College of New York

External Links

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