Tilburg arms manufacturer buys rights to Israeli weapon designs

Tilburg-based defence company AIA is buying technological data from Israeli arms manufacturer IWI, best known for the Uzi machine gun, and which is the main supplier of small arms for the Israeli military and police forces, broadcaster NOS reported.

AIA is specifically buying design information for two guns, noted for their ability to shoot down drones, the Arad 5 rifle and the Negev UX light machine gun.

AIA’s director Gerard Zondervan told NOS that “Europe is calling”, that the bloc needs to produce its own weapons, and that he would not discuss politically contentious issues regarding Israel such as the war on Gaza.

In January, MPs adopted a motion calling on the government to reduce the Netherlands’ reliance on Israeli weapons, citing concerns about war crimes. The motion says the Netherlands has bought €2 billion worth of equipment from Israeli defence firms in recent years.

The Netherlands has also blocked exports of F-35 fighter jet parts to Israel since an appeals court ruling in February 2024, and kept the ban in place after the Supreme Court overturned that ruling in October 2025.

Zondervan said AIA had had no contact with the Dutch government regarding the deal, and that production will begin in Tilburg and then move into an expanded facility in Overijssel.

The announcement comes shortly after the defence ministry launched the National Institute for Defence technology (NIDT), to speed up development and cooperation for the arms industry.

NIDT will get €350 million a year from 2028 onwards, intended to strengthen defences in the North Sea amid escalating conflict with Russia.