The defence market today faces a number of systemic challenges: full-scale war in Ukraine, conflicts in the Middle East and Africa – all of which are increasing demand for weapons. Last year, 2024, was a record year for global military spending, which reached $2.56 trillion. Against the backdrop of military conflicts and geopolitical instability, there are growing queues for the supply of mines, shells, missiles and air defence systems.
Several years ago, the management of AKM GROUP-CZ set a clear priority: to develop production capacity as one of the company's key areas of focus. Our goal is to quickly meet our partners' needs for military products and maintain high standards of quality and reliability.
In 2023, AKM GROUP-CZ began preparatory work to launch joint production of weapons and ammunition with its partners.
By the end of 2024, AKM GROUP-CZ already had experience in the joint production of large-calibre cartridges, large-calibre machine guns, and filling mortar shells with explosives.
The end of 2024 was marked by the formation and approval of the Production Ramp-up Programme. And already in the first half of 2025, the company began to ship the first 120-mm mines produced jointly with partners, manufactured at facilities in one of the European Union countries.
Also, in the first quarter of 2025, testing began on prototypes of a large-calibre .50 BMG Browning machine gun. The tests were successful. In the second quarter, serial production was launched, with the first 70 units manufactured.
The next stage will be testing this product at the end user's test range, followed by combat testing. This will be followed by certification and codification in accordance with NATO standards.
The AKM Group-CZ team worked hard with a team of designers to develop design documentation for the production of a 40 mm NATO standard automatic grenade launcher. The first prototypes are expected to appear in the coming months, and testing of the weapon at the test site will begin.
In addition, work is underway to prepare for the joint production of 155 mm artillery ammunition, as well as the production of grenades for automatic and underbarrel grenade launchers. To date, the design documentation has been successfully completed, trial batches of ammunition have been produced, and testing is underway. There is still a lot of work ahead: testing at the end user's test range, product certification and codification according to NATO standards.
‘The successful launch and implementation of joint production is part of AKM Group-CZ's systematic approach aimed at ensuring regular supplies of military products to our end users,’ noted Jaroslav Nadvorník, member of the board of directors of AKM Group-CZ.
