Historically, the Dominican Republic ceased large-scale ammunition production in the 1960s, and the historic site was permanently closed around 1990. In 2026, the Dominican Republic is poised to revive this industry. The Ministry of Defense has announced the creation and opening of a new ammunition assembly plant in San Cristóbal. This project, managed by the Dominican Military Industry (IMDOM), aims to make the country self-sufficient in meeting its military, sporting, and hunting needs.

The ammunition plant is part of a larger military technology hub, the first phase of which was inaugurated on May 1, 2025. At this same site, IMDOM has already developed tactical armored vehicles: Production began with the assembly of Level 3 armored vehicles (called FURIA), designed entirely by Dominican engineers. Logistics transport : The site also assembles fully equipped ambulances and trucks for transporting funds or prisoners. The Dominican Republic also assembles its own TP-75 Dulus surveillance aircraft, and will soon produce its own drones, among other known applications.

This military hub allows the state to save more than 25% on the cost per unit compared to importing.

The ammunition assembly plant is currently in the final stages of technical preparation and equipment installation. The Minister of Defense, Lieutenant General Carlos Fernández Onofre, announced that local production aims to supply 100% of the armed forces, the hunting sector, and sport shooting, and that the ammunition plant will be operational by the end of 2026. Initially planned for a longer timeframe, the timeline has been officially accelerated thanks to the involvement of specialized military engineers and budgetary adjustments.

The new factory will focus on small and medium caliber ammunition to cover all national security, sport shooting, and hunting needs. While the exact industrial list remains partly confidential for defense reasons, production targets standard calibers used by Dominican institutions:

Military and Tactical Calibers (Long Guns) : To supply the new assault rifles and machine guns recently acquired by the Armed Forces (such as the IWI ARAD rifles, Daniel Defense rifles, and Negev machine guns), the factory will assemble the standard caliber of the infantry service rifle, 5.56×45mm NATO, and ammunition intended for precision rifles (DMRs) and support weapons, 7.62×51mm NATO. This is also the reference caliber used to test the ballistic resistance of locally produced armor.

Handgun Calibers (Short Guns) : For the National Police and military security personnel, the need is focused on short-range ammunition: 9×19mm Parabellum : The most widely used pistol and submachine gun caliber in the Dominican Republic (particularly for the Glock and Taurus brands in service).

Sporting and Hunting Calibers : In accordance with the decree establishing the factory, which aims for self-sufficiency outside the military sector, the factory will produce calibers for hunting rifles : Primarily shot/bullet cartridges (such as 12 gauge), in high demand by local hunting clubs and private security agencies, and .22 Long Rifle, the standard ammunition for shooting practice and sport shooting competitions.

SL/ HaitiLibre