After recently concluding its participation in the LAAD 2025 International Fair, held from April 1 to 5 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Zona Militar spoke with representatives of Israel Weapon Industries (IWI) regarding the company’s next steps in its regional expansion strategy. Among these, the next major event for the Israeli company will be in Peru at SITDEF, which will take place from April 24 to 27 in Lima, where it will showcase its broad portfolio of tactical solutions, headed by the ARAD rifle family.
In conversation with the company, they stated: “From IWI (Israel Weapon Industries) or Meprolight, both members of the SK group, we see fairs in Latin America as a key platform to strengthen our presence throughout Latin America. The region represents a very strategic market for us for all our products and for providing solutions in advanced defense equipment, such as the ARAD rifle, the Negev machine gun, Jericho pistols, and UZI submachine guns. Our participation now in the upcoming SITDEF 2025 reflects our commitment to international cooperation in the supply of cutting-edge advanced technology to all Latin American armed forces and security agencies.”
ZM: Among the products you were showcasing, and which you will showcase at SITDEF, you mentioned the Negev, the ARAD, and the Jericho pistol. Do you consider these to be the central products you want to position in Latin America for the armed forces or security forces in the region?
IWI: At SITDEF 2025, we’re going to highlight the ARAD rifle, which is available in two different calibers. There’s the ARAD-5 5.56, which is multi-caliber, and the ARAD-7 7.62×51. These are multi-caliber systems, which offer versatility and adaptability in various operational environments. Also, as you mentioned, we will also present the Negev light machine gun, which is very well known for its robustness and reliability under extreme conditions, and which is also the official machine gun of our Israeli army and the Israeli Defense Forces.
ZM: You mentioned the ARAD, which is a flagship IWI product. I think in recent times there have been developments in the region regarding negotiations, trials, and more. How does the company see the future of this product in the region? What projection do you have for the ARAD?
IWI: First, the ARAD was developed in close cooperation with Israeli special forces, one of the elite units called Yamam, which resulted in a high-quality, combat-proven weapon recognized for its effectiveness in different scenarios. The ARAD has proven to be an effective and adaptable AR-15 platform, as I mentioned, and we are seeing growing interest throughout Latin America.
For example, in Peru we’ve established assembly lines in close cooperation with FAME, which is our strategic partner in the region. This clearly shows IWI’s commitment to everything related to technology transfer and helps strengthen local capabilities. I truly believe this kind of collaboration gives regional armed forces confidence in our products and solutions on the ground.
ZM: Another flagship IWI product is the NEGEV light machine gun. What are its capabilities or how do you see this system in the Latin American market?
IWI: The Negev light machine gun is available in two calibers, 5.56×45 and 7.62×51. Both are the official machine guns of the Israeli army, and I say that with great pride because they were also developed jointly with the Israeli Defense Forces. Today, the Negev light machine gun is a staple in operations of Special Forces and elite high-level units around the world.
It is a robust, reliable machine gun that can adapt to different scenarios, which makes it an ideal option for any modernization program in Latin America. It can fire in both semi-automatic and full automatic modes, allowing the user to choose between heavy fire in automatic mode or much more precise fire in semi-auto for different scenarios using the same machine gun. We are committed to supporting all armed forces and security forces in the region with effective solutions to improve their operational capacity.
ZM: Last year I had the chance to see in Israel the market launch of the Arbel product. I remember being there, I had the pleasure of witnessing its launch, and I want to ask a bit about the outlook for this new product and what kind of projection it could have in Latin America. It’s a new and innovative capability for shooters, both in training and in actual combat scenarios.
What advantages could this product offer Latin American forces, or what projection does it have in the region?
IWI: Assault rifles, as well as machine guns and pistols, are products that haven’t changed in over 40 years. You’ve got the barrel, the system, the bullet, there’s an explosion, a shot is fired—and generally we all make the same thing.
Some with better or worse quality, chrome-plated or not, but in general nothing truly innovative has hit the market in the past 40 years. We can see that evolution in other areas, for example with phones. We used to have huge phones, and now we’ve got iPhones, totally innovative touch platforms, etc. The Arbel came out of that same idea—to implement advanced technology into weapons that, like I said, haven’t changed in 40 years.
It’s a system that I can truly say I was also part of developing, and it’s been more than 10 years in the making. It’s only now being released because it’s been tested in several scenarios to ensure it’s the best product possible. And I think when you first hear about this product it sounds like science fiction, and when you see it you think, how can this be real? I can even say that when we first started discussing it at the company, I said, okay, let’s test it.
When I tried it, I was blown away. I think it’s a product that will totally change the world of firearms. It’s a product you have to get to know, take training courses on, to understand the level of efficiency it can offer.
I imagine this product will first be used by special forces as an initial step, and then later rolled out to regular army units, which could of course reduce the amount of wasted ammunition, save money, and improve the training of all soldiers or users of firearms—giving them much greater efficiency and precision. And at the end of the day in combat or any scenario we face, what matters isn’t always who shoots first—although usually, yes—but not always. Precision also matters. And I believe this will take the world of firearms to another level that doesn’t exist anywhere else yet.
Finally, I’d like to point out that “At IWI, we don’t just manufacture weapons—we co-design tactical solutions with those who are on the front lines. All of our workers, whether engineers or any employee, are former military, unfortunately due to the situation we’re facing here in Israel, and every system we deliver is born from the battlefield and goes back to strengthen it—more precise, more lethal, and more reliable. I’ve worked at IWI for years, and I truly believe this is something no other company has. That’s what makes IWI and all our products stand out, and it’s the quality we offer to our people, our brothers, our friends, and also to those abroad—our users.”
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