Company type | State-owned enterprise |
---|---|
Industry | Defence |
Founded | 1964[1] |
Headquarters | Kaduna, , |
Area served | Nigeria |
Products | Munitions, Small arms, Artillery, Explosives, Armored vehicles MRAPs |
Services | Manufacturing |
Owner | Nigerian Armed Forces |
Website | dicon.gov.ng |
Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) [2] is the state-run defense corporation of Nigeria and operated by the Nigerian Armed Forces. It is responsible for the production of defense equipment and civilian products.
DICON was established in 1964 through an act of parliament in the Nigerian National Assembly. [3]
From 2018 to March 2021, Major General Victor Okwudili Ezugwu was appointed as DICON's director-general. [4]
Major General MO Uzoh was appointed DG in March 2021.
It makes licensed copies of the Mills M36M (M36) handgrenade, Browning P-35 (NP-1) pistol, Beretta M12 (PMG-12) submachine gun, Beretta BM59 and FN FAL (NR1 Model 7.62) battle rifles, FN MAG (GPMG) machinegun, and RPG-7 (RPG) rocket launcher. The OBJ-006, a copy of the 7.62mm AK-47 assault rifle, is produced by DICON in 2006. [5]
DICON has recently procured rights to manufacture a copy of the Polish FB 5.56mm Kbs wz.96 Beryl assault rifle, possibly to replace the FAL and/or AK-47 in service. [6]
From 2012 to 2019, DICON and Marom Dolphin signed an agreement to establish a joint venture to produce ballistic vests. [7] In 2013, DICON officials denied allegations that Nigerian-made ballistic vests from DICON factories are made under substandard conditions. [8] After the contract expiration with Marom Dolphin, DICON Special Equipment was birthed, which is a collaboration between DICON and Imperium Industries Nig. Ltd.
The DICON Special Equipment specializes in the production of bulletproof vests, Helmets, Coveralls, Uniforms and other related items.
On October 3, 2019, DICON unveiled its first armored vehicle, known as the Ezugwu MRAP. [9] The MRAP was made in collaboration with the Nigerian Army Command Engineering Depot. [9] It was named after Major General Victor Ezugwu, who was known for his efforts in fighting against Boko Haram, [10] who is the director-general of DICON at the end of 2018. [11] [12] This was publicly shown in a ceremony by Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai at the Abuja International Trade Fair Complex during a Nigerian Army Day event. [9]
In the coronavirus outbreak in 2020, DICON has produced ventilators, face shields, face masks and hand sanitizers. [13]
The FN FAL is a battle rifle designed in Belgium in 1953 by Dieudonné Saive and manufactured by FN Herstal.
The Heckler & Koch G3 is a select-fire battle rifle chambered in 7.62×51mm NATO developed in the 1950s by the German firearms manufacturer Heckler & Koch, in collaboration with the Spanish state-owned firearms manufacturer CETME. The G3 was the service rifle of the German Bundeswehr until it was replaced by the Heckler & Koch G36 in the 1990s, and was adopted into service with numerous other countries.
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is an agency under the Department of Defence Research and Development in Ministry of Defence of the Government of India, charged with the military's research and development, headquartered in Delhi, India. It was formed in 1958 by the merger of the Technical Development Establishment and the Directorate of Technical Development and Production of the Indian Ordnance Factories with the Defence Science Organisation under the administration of Jawaharlal Nehru. Subsequently, Defence Research & Development Service (DRDS) was constituted in 1979 as a service of Group 'A' Officers / Scientists directly under the administrative control of the Ministry of Defence.
The INSAS, or Indian Small Arms System, is a family of infantry arms consisting of an assault rifle and a light machine gun (LMG). These weapons were developed in India by the Armament Research and Development Establishment and manufactured by the Ordnance Factories Board at its various factories. It was the standard infantry weapon of the Indian Armed Forces for almost three decades.
Kalashnikov rifles, also known as the AK platform, AK rifles or simply the AK, are a family of assault rifles based on Mikhail Kalashnikov's original design. They are officially known in Russian as avtomat Kalashnikova, and informally as "kalash" in Russian. They were originally manufactured in the Soviet Union, first by Izhmash and later by Kalashnikov Concern. Rifles similar to the Kalashnikov and its Soviet variants were later produced in many countries friendly to the Soviet Bloc, with rifles based on its design such as the Galil ACE and the INSAS also being produced. The Kalashnikov is one of the most widely used firearms in the world, with an estimated 72 million rifles in global circulation.
The Beretta ARX160 is an Italian modular assault rifle manufactured by Beretta. Developed for the Italian Armed Forces as part of the Soldato Futuro program, the ARX160 was launched in 2008 as a commercial weapon system independent from the Soldato Futuro ensemble, complete with a companion single-shot 40×46mm NATO low-velocity grenade launcher, called the GLX160, which can be mounted underneath the rifle or used with an ad hoc stock system as a stand-alone weapon.
The AK-12, "Avtomat Kalashnikova, 2012" is a Russian gas-operated assault rifle chambered in 5.45×39mm designed and manufactured by the Kalashnikov Concern, making it the fifth generation of Kalashnikov rifles.
The Caiman is an MRAP with a V-hull design based on the Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles (FMTV) and Low Signature Armored Cab (LSAC), initially developed by Stewart & Stevenson and now produced by BAE Systems Platforms & Services.
The Mahindra Mine Protected Vehicle-I (MPV-I), is an Indian MRAP-type armored personnel carrier manufactured by Defense Land Systems, a joint-venture of Mahindra & Mahindra Limited and BAE Systems, the first vehicle made under the venture. It is an improved Casspir variant built under licence.
Military Industries Corporation is a state-owned enterprise in Saudi Arabia founded in 1953. MIC became a subsidiary of Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI) in 2017 following its founding. Based in Riyadh, the MIC manufactures armaments and develops Saudi Arabia's military arsenal through technology transfer and research and development.
Ratnik is a Russian future infantry combat system. Some components, including the communication systems and night vision technologies, have extremely limited military distribution. It is designed to improve the connectivity and combat effectiveness of combat personnel in the Russian Armed Forces. Improvements include modernised body armour, a helmet with a special eye monitor, communication systems, and special headphones. It includes 10 subsystems and 59 individual items.
Fabricaciones Militares Sociedad del Estado, is a state-owned Argentine arms manufacturer based in Buenos Aires. The company was a government agency under the name Dirección General de Fabricaciones Militares.
The IAG Guardian is a United Arab Emirates-made armored personnel vehicle. It was developed by the International Armored Group company. It's available in 4x4 and 6x6 configurations. This vehicle has been used in the Middle East conflict and has been marked as battle proven to participate in low intensity conflicts.
Indo-Russia Rifles Private Limited (IRRPL) is a rifle-manufacturing facility in Korwa, Amethi district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Founded in 2019, the factory manufactures the AK-200 variant of the Kalashnikov family of rifles.
The AK-203 is a Russian gas-operated assault rifle designed to chamber the 7.62×39mm cartridge. It is one of the latest iterations of the AK series of assault rifles originally designed by Mikhail Kalashnikov. The AK-203 was developed in the 2010s by Kalashnikov Concern in Russia.
The Temsah is a family of armored personnel carriers developed by the Engineering Industries Complex of the Vehicles Department of the Egyptian Armed Forces, in cooperation with the “Military Factory 200 ” of the National Authority for Military Production, and the “Kader Factory for Developed Industries" of the Arab Organization for Industrialization, for the purposes of transporting serving pedestrians in difficult areas and roads, with an advanced level of protection against various threats.
The CS/VP3 MRAP also known as the CS/VP3 Bigfoot is a MRAP developed by Poly Technologies and manufactured by Changan Automobile in China. It was unveiled in China at the China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition 2012 in Zhuhai, China, and overseas at the 2012 DSA defense exhibition in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.