Myanmar Directorate of Defence Industries

The DI was established in the 1950s under the General Staff Office.[9] The first indigenous firearm produced in Myanmar is the TZ-45, made under license as the BA52.[10][11] In 1953, Heckler & Koch and Fritz Werner Industrie-Ausrüstungen GmbH cooperated with Myanmar to create a production line to made G3 battle rifles under license.[11][12] The first Myanma-made G3, known as the BA63, was first produced in 1957.[11] The use of the BA rifles ended in the 1990s when the MA-based rifles were being developed and brought into service.[13]

After a worldwide arms embargo was enacted against Myanmar after the establishment of the State Peace and Development Council in the 1980s, they turned to Chinese assistance to improve its technological base.[14] The SPDC has received covert assistance from Singapore while working with Israeli consultants by providing factory-built equipment to produce small arms.[15] From 1983 to 1991, the country made indigenous APCs due to budgetary reasons, which consist of the BAAC-83 APC, BAAC-84 SC, BAAC-85 SC, BAAC-86 SC, BAAC-87 APC, and BAAC-87 CCC.[14][16]

Israel assisted Myanmar in developing its indigenous firearms manufacturing capabilities.[17] They previously sold Uzis to the SPDC in 1991, being made locally as the BA94.[13] Serial production of the Galils, known locally as the MA-1, MA-2, and MA-3, started in 2002 after an agreement with IMI.[18] Production was located at Ka Pa Sa No 1 or DI-1, a factory located near Inya Lake.[19]

Ukraine signed an agreement with Myanmar in 2004 under a $US500 million contract to provide 1000 BTR-3Us.[20]

On April 30, 2008, Washington DC place sanctions on DI under Executive Order 13464 (Blocking Property and Prohibiting Certain Transactions Related to Burma).[1]

In 2014, DI has constructed the BTR-3U with spare parts provided by Ukraine.[21] According to the Kharkiv Morozov Machine Building Design Bureau, Deutz-made engines are used in BTR-3Us in Myanma service.[22]

On July 2, 2013, Lt. General Thein Htay was sanctioned under Executive Order 13619 in targeting people closely connected between Myanmar and North Korea by the Department of the Treasury.[1] On December 17, 2013, the Department of the Treasury placed Asia Metal Company Ltd., Soe Min Htike Co. Ltd., and Excellence Mineral Manufacturing Co. Ltd. under Executive Order 13619 because of its connections to North Korea in assisting DI to acquire construction materials to build additional facilities.[1]

In March 2019, Ukrspecexport has signed an agreement with Myanmar to deliver equipment for a production line assembly to assemble the BTR-4U APC and the 2S1U howitzer.[23]

It's reported in November 2019 that the Tatmadaw has plan to market Myanma-made military hardware for overseas sales in an appearance at the Defense & Security (D&S) show in Bangkok, Thailand.[24][25]

In October 2021, it's reported that a Myanma businessman named U Tun Hlaing is involved in purchasing materials that are needed for military production.[8]

DI was placed under British sanctions due to the 2021 coup as of 2022.[2] On 20 February 2023, the European Union imposed sanctions on DI for enabling the Burmese military to carry out violence against civilians.[26][27]

The major factories of the DI are as follows:[28]

• Weapons Factory
• Machine Gun Factory
• Tank Ammo Factory
• Heavy Artillery Ammo Factory
• Medium Artillery Ammo Factory
• Small Arms Ammo Factory
• Bombs & Grenades Factory
• Filling Factory
• Propellants Factory
• Explosives Factory
• Brass Factory
• Tungsten Alloy Factory
• Tungsten Carbide Factory

Officially, Myanmar has not disclosed how many factories it has. Estimates suggest that it has less than six prior to 1988 to “more than 20” in 2011 and 25 in 2022.[29]

• Jones, Richard D. (2009). Jane's Infantry Weapons 2009/2010. Jane's Information Group. ISBN 978-0-7106-2869-5.
• Maung, Aung Myoe (2009). Building the Tatmadaw: Myanmar Armed Forces Since 1948. ISBN 978-981-230-848-1.