On the global scale, the demands for light weapons is gaining immense popularity among different end users. According to the latest market intelligence report by BIS Research titled, ‘Global Light Weapons- Analysis and Forecast (2017-2021),’ the military end user dominated the market in the year 2016, and the same is expected during the forecast period. The dominance of military end user is due to the rise in the defense spending, increasing land disputes across borders, and changing nature of warfare.
In April 2018, BAE Systems Inc., tied up with Mahindra Defence System Ltd., to supply ultra-light ‘Howitzer Guns’ to Indian Armed Forces and the deal was valued at $ 700 million. BAE systems has bagged an order for 145 M777 ultra-light Howitzer from the government of India, last year. First, the company has to deliver 25 guns to the army in the flyway conditions. Moreover, the company will start delivering the guns from the fourth quarter of 2019 and complete it by 2021.
Last year, in November 2017. Raytheon Inc. and Saab, the Swedish Aerospace and Defence firm, announced their partnership to develop improvised shoulder-launched weapon system for infantry forces. The companies are looking to enhance the Saab’s AT4 disposable weapons to meet near-term U.S. and international requirements. Further, Saab had worked to modernize the multi-role weapons as soldiers’ need for battlefield change. The company made it more portable by reducing the weight of the newest version, the M4/M3 E1, from 22 to 15 pounds.
In October 2017, FN Herstal USA presented its ‘DeFNder Light Weapon station’ mounted on the SRTV SXV (Search & Rescue Tactical Vehicle). The station is to develop and manufacture, weapon system which can be easily integrated into modern combat vehicles. The deFNder remote weapon stations provide optimized remote firing capability while keeping the operator completely under armor protection to meet today’s operational requirements. It can integrate all FN machine guns up to 7.62 mm calibre and is capable of extreme elevation and depression angle of operation.
Among the types of light weapons, the market is dominated by the Anti-Tank Guided Weapons (ATGWs). Moreover, the grenade launcher type is expected to witness the highest growth rate from 2017-2021, among the other types of light weapons. Some of the prominent market players contributing to the growth of the market for light weapons are Orbital ATK, Raytheon, BAE Systems, FN Herstal, Thales Group, Saab AB, and Elbit System, among others.
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