Kalashnikov Maker Files for Bankruptcy -- Pravda

[m4fun]

http://warnewsupdates.blogspot.com/2009/09/russian-manufacturer-of-kalashnikov.html

Kalashnikov Maker Files for Bankruptcy -- Pravda


The Court of Arbitration of the Republic of Udmurtia registered a petition in bankruptcy of JSC Izhmash (Izhevsk Mechanical Works), the largest firearms maker in Russia, Interfax reports. The court hearings to investigate the causes of the petition will be held on October 7, 2009.

Izhmash ships firearms to 15 countries of the world. Based in Izhevsk and founded in 1807 at the decree of Tsar Alexander I, and is now one of the largest corporations in its field. It makes the famous Kalashnikov series of assault rifle, along with a host of other Russian arms, including medium cannons, missiles, and guided shells. Izhmash also produces other goods, such as motorcycles and cars.

[sinister]

His plan to break the Soviets is STILL working.

[TOrrock]

It's a bit of a suprise, but not a huge one. With the end of the Cold War and the Warsaw Pact's goin' outta biznezz sale, the world has been awash with surplus Soviet small arms and munitions.

The only significant contract that I'm aware of that the Russians got in the last few years has been Venezuela.....and they were practically giving Chavez his Kalashnikovs and other arms. They also licensed Venezuela to build their AK-103's, so it cut down on repeat sales.

We awarded Arsenal Bulgaria the contract to rearm the Iraqis as part of a "thank you" for backing us up, and it pissed the Russians off to no end.

[armakraut]

Time for a price cut on the saigas and it's high time to overstamp those TIGR rifles "Saiga 7.62x54R" and get them on the boat.

[Spiffums]

Can't they get a congressional bail out? :)

[Business_Casual]

Welcome to capitalism.

If they had innovated and updated the design (or as a certain former Delta trainer says - put one tenth of the R&D into it that the AR/M16 had) maybe they wouldn't be going out of business. But when the world is awash in AKMs, what need is there for a brand-new AKM that has darker furniture? Maybe if they would have solved the rail problems, ergonomics and the RDS mounting problems, they would have won more contracts.

As it stands, former Soviet republics are buying Bushmasters and Colts by the container load. The R&D and versatility of the AR platform is simply unmatched globally. Capitalism actually does work. Too bad Barry's doing his best to destroy it.

M_P