Giraitė plant starts assembling automatic weapons

Lithuania’s Giraitė Armament Plant has begun assembling automatic weapons using components from Israeli manufacturer Emtan, LRT reported. The weapons meet NATO standards and use ammunition made at the plant.

The weapons are intended for the military and special services. Depending on the model and barrel length, their effective range is between 200 metres and 500 metres, with a rate of fire of 750 to 900 rounds per minute. Each magazine holds 30 rounds produced at the Giraitė plant.

Plant manager Mindaugas Kurauskas said assembling a weapon takes about 20 minutes, followed by test firing before it can be used. The plant’s current capacity would allow it to assemble and prepare up to 1,500 weapons a month. It hopes to attract interest from Lithuanian troops and officials, as well as find export opportunities. The longer-term aim is to manufacture 60% of the components in Lithuania.

The first weapons assembled in Lithuania have been given to the Lithuanian Riflemen’s Union and officials under the Interior Ministry for testing. The union will assess whether to buy them after users have tried them out.

Kurauskas said the plant has used its existing facilities and has not hired additional staff or made investments for the project so far. The plant began construction this year on a second ammunition production line costing 36 million euros. It has also been producing anti-drone ammunition since June.