CAVIM explained

CAVIM (Compañía Anónima Venezolana de Industrias Militares or Venezuelan Company of Military Industries in English) is a Venezuelan state-owned firearms manufacturer, which was created on April 29, 1975.

History

CAVIM was created on April 29, 1975 under Presidential Decree No. 883 of the then President of Venezuela Carlos Andrés Pérez on 29 April 1975.^[1]

Sanctions

The company was placed under U.S. sanctions in 2013 under the Iran, North Korea, and Syria Nonproliferation Act (INKSNA).^[2]

Products

Firearms

CAVIM manufactured the Zamorana in 2006, which is Venezuela's first indigenous small arm.^[3] This was made with some parts from the Czech Republic.^{[4] [5]}

The AK-103 was also licensed to CAVIM for manufacturing in Venezuela with initial licensing fee payments made in 2006 and the transfer of Russian-made AK-103s to Venezuela in 2008.^[3] CAVIM's AK-103 factories opened officially in 2012 without the necessary manufacturing equipment.^{[3] [6]} CAVIM-made AK-103s were delivered to the Venezuelan Army in 2013.^[7]

Due to trouble with the plant with the Russian contractor failing to meet deadlines with a case of fraud, which forced CAVIM to finish the rest of the construction,^[8] full-scale production was initially stated to start in 2019,^[9] but the first stage of the plant was finally launched on 2 July 2025.^[10]

In 2016, CAVIM unveiled the M66 Cazador mortar for the Venezuelan Marine Corp.^[11]

UAVs

CAVIM unveiled the Arpia, a licensed version of the Qods Mohajer in 2012,^[12] although it was first shown restricted to VIPs in November 2011 at the El Libertador Air Base after Iran and Venezuela signed an agreement to purchase the Mojader in 2007.^[13]

Organization

CAVIM is run by the Venezuelan Ministry of People's Power for Defense. It's based in Caracas.^[14]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Reseña Histórica - CAVIM. CAVIM. es. 5 December 2017. 6 December 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171206135847/http://www.cavim.com.ve/index.php/resena-historica/. dead.
2. https://english.elpais.com/elpais/2013/02/14/inenglish/1360847589_160965.html US sanctions Venezuelan arms firm for illegal sales
3. Web site: Defense Industry. John Pike. 14 November 2014.
4. Web site: Zamorana Gun. https://web.archive.org/web/20070308000612/http://www.cavim.com.ve/detalleproducto.php?id=61&idg=1&fam=1&lg=en&idu=. 2007-03-08 . 2010-03-29.
5. Web site: Zamorana. 22 October 2010.
6. Web site: Venezuela Set to Mass Produce Kalashnikovs, Sniper Rifles. Christopher Looft. 19 July 2012. 14 November 2014.
7. Web site: Cavim inicia entrega de fusiles de asalto Kalashnikov AK-103 a la Fuerza Armada de Venezuela. 3 June 2013. Infodefensa.com. 14 November 2014. 16 April 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140416182439/http://www.infodefensa.com/latam/2013/06/03/noticia-cavim-inicia-entrega-de-fusiles-de-asalto-kalashnikov-ak-103-a-la-fuerza-armada-de-venezuela.html?aleat=1831#googtrans%28es-en%29. dead.
8. Web site: Venezuelan AK-103 Factory Will Start Working in 2019 -. 12 December 2016.
9. Web site: Venezuelan Kalashnikov Plant to Begin AK-103 Manufacture in 2019 -. 13 April 2018.
10. Web site: Russia has launched a factory for the production of cartridges for Kalashnikov assault rifles in Venezuela . LIGA . 2025-07-02 . . 2025-07-04.
11. Web site: Cavim repotencia doce morteros M66 'Cazador' de la Infantería de Marina de Venezuela - Noticias Infodefensa América. 30 September 2016.
12. Web site: Iranian Mohajer-2 drone appears in Venezuela. Chavez's building his own drone fleet with the help of Tehran. 12 June 2012.
13. Web site: Jeffrey Lewis • Venezuela-Iran UAVs . lewis.armscontrolwonk.com . 12 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121215074802/http://lewis.armscontrolwonk.com/archive/5390/venezuela-iran-uavs . 15 December 2012 . dead.
14. https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/tr/pdf/ADA190931.pdf