Cugir weapon manufacturer designing assault rifle

Economy Minister Florin Spataru told a news conference on Friday in Alba Iulia that on his visit to the Cugir weapon manufacturer on Thursday it asked its executives to continue a project for the manufacturing of an assault rifle so that the product could be presented to the Ministry of Defence for testing, Agerpres reports.

"The Cugir weapon manufacturer will bear the costs and testing steps so that it can be completed and come up with the product at the Ministry of National Defence for testing," said Spataru.

Talks of a new assault rifle produced at Cugir are old, with the matter being brought up repeatedly over time by both economy and defence ministers on their visits to Alba County.

As far back as 2011, the company's then management was talking about concluding a collaboration agreement with the Defence Ministry under a national programme for the manufacturing of a 5.56x45mm assault rifle with ammunition. The new weapon was presented as an improved AKM, in a different design and configurations, ambidextrous, with scope and flashlight.

According to information posted on the website of the Defence Ministry's General Directorate for Armaments, an evolved version of the rifle is under consideration.