Press Release
4iG Space and Defence to acquire a majority stake in a leading Hungarian small arms developer
Gestamen Zrt. is a defence company based in Hungary, which develops NATO-compatible small arms under the brand “Gestamen Arms”.
- 4iG Space and Defence Technologies Zrt. (4iG SDT) acquired 90 percent majority stake in Gestamen Kutatás Fejlesztés Zrt. (Gestamen), entering small arms development market in addition to its manufacturing activities expanding the “Weapons &Ammunition” business line.
- Gestamen covers small arms development and manufacturing process from design, component and finished product manufacturing to prototype development and field testing.
- Under Gestamen Arms brand, the company has been developing its own full product line of small arms since 2017.
- The acquisition strengthens 4iG SDT role in the Hungarian defence sector and creates opportunities for coordination and cooperation between defence systems within the Group, including new developments can further expand the defence portfolio.
4iG SDT signed a sale and purchase agreement and closed the transaction, acquiring a share package representing 90 percent
of the capital in Gestamen Kutatás Fejlesztés Zrt. With this acquisition, the company expands its Weapons & Ammunition business
line and entered the Hungarian small arms development market.
Gestamen’s product range covers seven categories of weapons, all developed in Hungary meeting with NATO standards: from
handguns and submachine guns to assault rifles, support rifles, high-firepower automatic rifles and squad support machine
guns, to grenade launchers. The company’s activities cover the entire small arms development process, from design to component
manufacturing and prototype production to field testing. In-house engineering, development and manufacturing capabilities
enable the company to respond quickly and effectively to new military and market demands. Diana Weapons Technology College
and Boarding School, as known as National Weapons Manufacturing Training Centre, participates as a partner in the development
of professional competencies and the recruitment of new members for the development and manufacturing.
Gestamen created a family of weapons – the G9HSP pistol, the G224LMG and G762MG machine gun, and other unit-support systems
– that is unique in the world, thanks to inventions protected by international patents, such as the G9HSP pistol with a double
trigger system. The developments are being tested in real military environments by the Hungarian Defence Forces. There is
significant international interest in Gestamen Arms, which are presented at major international arms exhibitions (MILIPOL
Paris, EUROSATORY Paris, ENFORCE TAC Nuremberg, SHOT SHOW Las Vegas, MILIPOL Asia-Pacific Singapore).
“Acquiring a majority stake in Gestamen, we bring an exceptional Hungarian development and manufacturing expertise to 4iG
Group, which created modular small arms systems based on its own intellectual property and tested in real military environments
in seven different weapon categories to date. Gestamen’s professional capabilities and portfolio can open up technological
and manufacturing opportunities in cooperation with Arzenál Fegyvergyár or other domestic and international partners, further
strengthening the independence of the domestic defence industry and creating new prospects for the international presence
of Hungarian small arms technologies under the auspices of NATO”, said István Sárhegyi, CEO of 4iG SDT Zrt.
The acquisition strengthens 4iG SDT Weapons & Ammunition business line, reinforcing 4iG SDT’s defence technology competencies.
Gestamen Arms’ portfolio provides the Group with development and engineering expertise that represents significant value from
a technological, industrial and geopolitical perspective. The acquisition contributes to the expansion of Hungarian intellectual
property-based small arms and light weapons development and manufacturing capacities and strengthens the independence of the
domestic defence industry. Gestamen’s modular weapon systems will enable the development of new-generation handguns to become
faster and more predictable in the future through intra-group cooperation, while NATO-compatible technical principles will
ensure the wider applicability of technologies in both the domestic and allied environments.
01 Dec 2025
Background information
4iG Űr- és Védelmi Technológiák Zrt.
4iG SDT is the space and defence company of the 4iG Group, developing innovative dual-use technologies for the space, defence
and security sectors. Its activities are based on five business lines: Space, Aero, Land Systems, Weapons & Ammunition, and
Cyber and Defence Digitalisation. The space business unit covers the design, manufacture and operation of satellites.
In the field of defence technologies, 4iG SDT develops unmanned aerial vehicles and drone defence systems, land platforms,
weapon and ammunition manufacturing solutions, and modern cyber and digitalisation technologies. Its systems contribute to
the development of NATO-compatible capabilities and the strengthening of regional security.
www.4igsdt.hu
Gestamen Kutatás Fejlesztés Zrt.
Gestamen Kutatás Fejlesztés Zrt. (Gestamen Arms), a Hungarian small arms developer and manufacturer, has been producing 100%
Hungarian-designed small arms to support NATO requirements since 2017. Its portfolio covers a seven-element and continuously
expanding family of weapons, ranging from pistols and submachine guns to assault rifles and support rifles, to dual-feed,
high-firepower automatic rifles and squad support machine guns. The company has several development and manufacturing facilities
in Hungary, where the entire small arms development process is carried out in-house, from design to component and prototype
manufacturing and manufacturing technology development. Gestamen Arms' designs are tested by the Hungarian Armed Forces in
real field conditions, thus supporting development with professional and user experience. Following development, the system
integration process has been initiated for several products. Gestamen's developments have attracted considerable interest
at several international trade fairs, including MILIPOL Paris, EUROSATORY Paris, ENFORCE TAC Nuremberg, SHOT SHOW Las Vegas,
and MILIPOL Asia-Pacific Singapore.
www.gestamenarms.hu
For more information, please contact:
Péter Elkán
Group Head of Corporate Affairs and Communication
4iG Nyrt.
sajto@4ig.hu