According to Russian news agency TASS, Venezuela will finish the building of the AK-103 factories in 2019. Russian deputy prime minister Dmitry Rogozin said that the problems with the building process of the plants are solved and they will run at full scale in 2019. He also said that all the Russian equipment and machinery are already delivered to Venezuela. So all they need to do now is to finish the construction of factory buildings, which are 70% completed.

AK-103

The process of arranging licensed manufacturing of AK-103 rifles and ammunition in Venezuela started back in 2006. Two plants were supposed to be built in premises of Venezuelan state arms manufacturing company – CAVIM (Compania Anonima Venezolana de Industrias Militares). However, the Russian contractor company, which was granted the contract to build the plants, failed to meet the deadlines. Further investigation showed that a financial fraud took place. Right now the key people of that Russian company are arrested and being tried. Now, after a two-year pause, a domestic Venezuelan company will continue the construction of the buildings.

Reportedly, they will also manufacture Catatumbo sniper rifles in the same factories. Catatumbo is a Venezuelan bolt action rifle chambered in 7.62×51, 7.62×39 or 7.62x54R.

So from the decision to the working factory it will take 13 years! Although, judging from what already happened, I am not sure if they’ll manage to meet the deadline this time.