Edge Group has signed an agreement with Ketech Asia to build and resell the CAR 816 family of rifles in Malaysia. (Edge Group)
United Arab Emirates' (UAE's) Edge Group has signed an agreement with Malaysian company Ketech Asia to expand collaboration on the CAR 816 assault rifle.
Edge Group told Janes on 27 February that the new memorandum of understanding (MOU) – signed at the recently concluded IDEX 2025 show in Abu Dhabi – extends the terms of an accord that the two companies signed in 2023.
Under the previous agreement, Edge Group agreed to the transfer of technologies (ToT) to Ketech Asia to support local assembly and resale of the CAR 816 rifle at the Malaysian firm's manufacturing facility in Pahang.
Under the new agreement, “Ketech Asia will also undertake the manufacturing of the entire CAR 816 system over various phases at [its] recently opened factory in Pahang, Malaysia,” an Edge Group spokesperson said.
“With the ToT complete and the manufacturing facility opened, Ketech Asia will begin to assemble the CAR 816, become an official reseller of the rifle, and manufacture key components in the near future.”
The spokesperson added that the new agreement might also support the development of new products. “Another important point of our agreement and co-operation is that we will be looking into potentially co-developing new firearms,” the Edge Group spokesperson said.
The spokesperson added that Edge Group's arrangement with Ketech Asia is intended to support “Malaysian Armed Forces' modernisation requirements [and] support the wider Southeast Asia region”.
According to Janes Weapons: Infantry, the CAR 816 series of assault rifles is chambered for the 5.56×45 mm cartridge. The CAR 816 is based on the ArmaLite AR‐15 design.
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