Israeli Military Industries
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Israeli Military Industries Ltd., or IMI, ( התעשייה הצבאית - תע"ש ) is an Israeli firearm manufacturer. It manufactures firearms mainly for Israeli defense forces, although its small arms are very popular throughout the world.
The history of IMI goes back to the era of the British Mandate of Palestine when the Jewish underground at the time resorted to manufacturing illegal weapons. Some therefore claim that the nucleus of IMI was formed as early as 1933. It presently manufactures all manner of firearms, from small arms and machine guns to rockets and electronic systems.
IMI's small arms are some of the most popular in the world. The Uzi submachine gun is arguably the most popular submachine gun in the world, because of its compact nature and reliability. Possibly, the MP5 surpasses its popularity, but only within counter-terrorist networks. Overall, the Uzi has the highest sales statistics of all modern submachine guns, worldwide.
The IMI Galil is a compact assault rifle, being an adaptation of the AK-47 rifle, along with integrating some other design features. The Negev is IMI's main light machine gun. The Jericho is a semi-automatic pistol, while the Tavor is a bullpup assault rifle, similar to the FAMAS.
In the 1980s IMI subcontracted an American firearms designer, Magnum Research, to design a magnum caliber, semi-automatic pistol for use in the by Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). The result was the Desert Eagle, a very, very powerful, but somewhat impractical, handgun made famous by Hollywood and first-person shooters.
Other products are created, mainly for use by IDF. The Uzi, however, is popular (as stated before) with many forces worldwide, while the Galil and Tavor are popular with counter-terrorist forces.
Beside firearms, the IMI also produces heavy firearms and vehicles accessories such as add-on armor packages.
Famous products
- Uzi submachine gun (and variants)
- Galil assult rifle
- Tavor TAR-21 bullpup assault rifle
- Negev light machine gun
- Jericho 941 handgun
- Desert Eagle magnum handgun
- Armor add-ons:
- Armor plating coat
- Explosive reactive armour
See also
External link
- Official site (http://www.imi-israel.com/)