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Armscor Global Defense, Inc. (AGDI), the Philippines’ largest firearms and ammunition manufacturer, successfully highlighted its new global class tactical products at the recent 19th Defense Services Asia (DSA) Exhibition and Conference held at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre in Kuala Lumpur.
Recognized as one of the biggest and most influential defense and security shows in the region, the biennial DSA serves as a premier international platform for the most advanced systems, hardware and security technologies covering tri-defense capabilities (land, air and sea).
Held across 48,000-square meters of exhibit space, the four-day event attracted over 50,000 visitors, with participants comprising over 1,450 companies that included 37 international pavilions and 600 delegations from 114 countries. By joining a top-tier roster of international exhibitors, ARMSCOR reinforced its position as a key player in the region’s defense landscape.
Taking the spotlight at the company’s exhibit was the new Rock Island Armory (RIA) Defense product line that included the Cal 5.56 RD4P Cobra rifle – a modern assault system designed to meet the rigorous demands of military and law enforcement agencies – along with its best-selling 1911 firearms and ammunition that showcased the excellence, reliability and precision of Philippine-made firearms.
“Defense Services Asia is more than just a recurring exhibition for AGDI – it represents a strategic platform for the Philippines to actively engage with the global defense community. As a biennial event, it brings together key stakeholders from across governments, industries, and armed forces, creating valuable opportunities for technology exchange, capability development and long-term partnerships. The scale and consistency of participation over the years underscore its importance, and for us, it is an avenue to both showcase Philippine defense capabilities and to learn from international best practices that can strengthen our own modernization efforts,” AGDI Senior Vice President & Chief Stakeholder Relations Officer and Armscor Shooting Center, Inc. (ASCI) President & CEO Maria Cristina Tuason-Gonzalez emphasized.
Launched in 1998, DSA exhibits and conferences have since served as a platform for global defense manufacturers and service providers to directly access top-level experts and government security decision-makers not only in the region but across the world.
“DSA carries significant global recognition precisely because it is a highly curated, trade- only event. The strict access protocols ensure that engagements are meaningful, focused and conducted at the highest professional level. For AGDI, participating in such an environment reinforces our credibility and positions us among serious industry players and decision-makers. It allows us to have substantive discussions with potential partners and clients, making every interaction purposeful and aligned with our long-term strategic objectives,” affirmed Tuason-Gonzalez.
Through high-level engagements during the four-day event, Armscor Global Defense, Inc. actively pursued new partnerships with regional neighbors. Following its recent success in securing major contracts for the Philippine Coast Guard, the company aims to leverage its participation in DSA to expand its export footprint and provide cost-effective, high-quality defense solutions to Southeast Asian security forces.
More than a business venture, the presence of AGDI at the DSA underscores the company’s strategic effort to support the Philippines’ Self-Reliant Defense Posture (SRDP) program. By proving that locally manufactured small arms and rifles like the RD4P Cobra can compete with the best in the world, the Philippine manufacturer is helping reduce national reliance on foreign imports while fostering local industrial growth.
The interest shown by trade visitors in the RD4P Cobra rifle and the RIA Defense line is also an indicator that Philippine-made defense solutions are ready to meet the security needs of the Indo-Pacific region and beyond.
