Fabricaciones Militares
| Company type | State-owned enterprise |
|---|---|
| Industry | Defense, manufacturing, mining, petroleum, petrochemicals, rolling stock production |
| Predecessor | Dirección General de Fabricaciones Militares |
| Founded | 1941 |
| Headquarters | Buenos Aires , Argentina |
Area served | Argentina |
| Products | Small arms, ammunition, artillery, military vehicles, rolling stock, chemicals, explosives |
| Owner | Government of Argentina |
| Parent | Argentine Ministry of Defence |
Fabricaciones Militares Sociedad del Estado (translated as Military Industries State Corporation) is an Argentine government-owned arms manufacturer headquartered in Buenos Aires. Initially established as the Dirección General de Fabricaciones Militares, this entity was created in 1941 to strengthen Argentina’s defense manufacturing capabilities during World War II due to difficulties in importing military supplies. Over the years, the organization expanded its operations into sectors such as mining, petroleum, rolling stock production, and petrochemicals under the supervision of the Argentine Ministry of Defence.
History
Fabricaciones Militares was founded through Argentine legislation 12.709 in 1941, with an early emphasis on producing small arms and ammunition to support critical national industries. The enterprise quickly grew to encompass 14 factories across the country, although many of these facilities underwent privatization beginning in the 1980s.
The company holds a notable legacy in manufacturing rolling stock for Argentina’s railway system, including trams, commuter trains, and vehicles for the Buenos Aires Underground network. Recently, it has experienced revitalization by acquiring additional manufacturing plants and diversifying its product range beyond military hardware. A significant achievement includes contracts to supply more than 1,500 freight wagons for Trenes Argentinos Cargas y Logística, the freight division of the state-owned Ferrocarriles Argentinos.
In June 2015, Fabricaciones Militares launched the first batch of 10 hopper cars designed specifically for cereal transport, part of an order totaling 1,050 wagons destined for national freight rail services. These units were produced in Río Tercero, Córdoba, each featuring a 45-ton capacity and servicing major rail lines such as San Martín, Belgrano, and Urquiza. Additionally, the company manufactures flatbed, spine, and tank freight cars.
On December 9, 2016, the Argentine Ministry of Defense revealed a licensing agreement with Beretta for local production of the ARX-200 rifle and Px4 pistol by Fabricaciones Militares. These firearms will replace older models like the FN FAL and Browning Hi-Power within Argentina’s armed forces inventory.
Following World War II, Fabricaciones Militares enlisted foreign specialists including a team of Polish engineers led by Witold Wierzejski, who had formerly served as General Director of Armaments Manufacturing in Poland. Their expertise was instrumental in modernizing Argentina’s defense industry and enhancing technical education through initiatives such as establishing the Polish Engineers and Technicians Center in Buenos Aires.
Pistols
- Sistema Colt Modelo 1927 - Locally produced version under license of the Colt 1911.
- FM Hi-Power - Licensed manufacture of Browning Hi-Power pistols.
Submachine guns
- FMK-3 - Indigenous 9 mm submachine gun design.
- PAM-1 & PAM-2 - Licensed copies of M3 submachine guns.
Rifles
- FM FAL - Licensed production of Belgium’s FN FAL battle rifle.
- FM FAP - Squad automatic weapon variant featuring a heavy barrel based on FN FAL.
- FM FSL - Semi-automatic version of FN FAL.
- FARA 83 - Locally developed assault rifle chambered in 5.56 mm.
- .22 Sport Rifle.
Machine guns
- FN MAG - Manufactured under license.
Artillery
- FM Model 1968 - Recoilless anti-tank rifle.
- FM CITER L33 - 155 mm caliber howitzer.
- FM L45 CALA 30 - Prototype for a 155 mm howitzer.
- FMK.4 Modelo 1L - 105 mm tank cannon used on TAM.
- FM CP-30 - Rocket artillery piece with a caliber of 127 mm.
- Mortars available in calibers of 60 mm, 81 mm, and 120 mm.
Ammunition
- Rounds in 7.65 mm Mauser, 7.62 mm NATO, and 9 mm Parabellum calibers.
- .22 Long Rifle cartridges and shells for 12-gauge shotguns.
- Rocket munitions measuring 127 mm and chemical rounds of 38.1 mm.
Additional products
- Propellants for artillery and gunpowder.
- Equipment designed for ballistic protection.
- High-explosive fragmentation and tear gas grenades.
Civilian manufacturing
- Production of sulfuric acid, nitric acid, and ammonium nitrate.
- Manufacturing of diethyl ether and explosives used in mining.
- Rail transport hopper cars.
See also
- Río Tercero explosion
- Scandal over Argentine arms sales to Ecuador and Croatia
- Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic
- Trams in Buenos Aires
Further reading
- Dirección General de Fabricaciones Militares: un pilar industrial del país. Torino, Manuel Cornejo. Ediciones Universidad Católica de Salta, Salta, Argentina, 2003.
External links
- "Efforts to Revive Fabricaciones Militares" - Diario Río Negro, October 1, 2006 accessed 2017-08-13