DA-Group updates its strategy and organization to meet the future demands of a changing operating environment. Pekka Airola has been appointed as DA-Group’s CEO as of 20 August 2024.

Pekka Airola (left) and Sami Kotiniemi (right) shake hands.

Pekka Airola has previously worked in the fields of industrial electronics, mobile phone supply chains and health technology. He has held various management positions related to product portfolios and projects, as well as production. Airola’s most recent role was Vice President of the Welding Machines Business Unit at Kemppi Oy, where he was responsible for ensuring the competitiveness of welding machines in a highly competitive market. For Airola, the most important management principles are creating added value for the customer and taking care of employees and developing their skills.

“DA-Group’s success is built on a strong foundation of expertise, from engineering to production, and the customer is instilled with a sense of security and trust through timely and accurate information on deliveries. In the current global situation, growth is supported by the increased attention paid to geopolitical risks in the supply chain now more than just ten years ago. Value is increasingly placed on companies that keep the entire supply chain in its own hands,” states Airola. He sees strong possibilities for DA-Group – the company has its own products and impressive customers, and the diversity of the Group’s operations bring security in an ever-changing world. “I am grateful for the trust shown in me, and I look forward to the opportunity to be part of building the future DA-Group,” he adds.

DA-Group’s long-standing CEO Sami Kotiniemi will support Airola and will continue working in a strategic role as Chairman of the Board, actively driving innovations and fine-tuning the company’s future direction. DA-Group’s strategy work is currently carried out jointly by the management team, business units and the Board of Directors.

(McLean, VA — August 19, 2024)  FN America, LLC is proud to announce the expansion of the strategic licensing and manufacturing alliance with ammunition and weapon system manufacturer TV Ammo, Inc. (“True Velocity”), to produce True Velocity’s .338 Norma Lightweight Medium Machine Gun for U.S. and Allied military units. 

The international strategic alliance positions FN as the primary manufacturer of Texas-based True Velocity’s .338 Norma machine gun, both in the United States and the United Kingdom. The .338 is a recoil-mitigated weapon system designed to provide warfighters with range and terminal performance similar to that of the .50-caliber M2 machine gun, but with a lightweight, functional profile comparable to that of the ubiquitous M240 machine gun also manufactured by FN.

“FN America is extremely excited to partner with True Velocity on this effort to deliver the next medium machine gun to the U.S. military,” said Mark Cherpes, President and CEO for FN America, LLC. “Both companies share the drive and desire to innovate and deliver game-changing technology to the warfighter. This has produced a really great collaborative effort across our teams.”

A lightweight machine gun solution chambered for the .338 Norma cartridge has been a focal point of requirements emerging from the U.S. Department of Defense and Allied militaries in recent years. In March 2024, the United States Department of Defense selected True Velocity’s .338 Norma Lightweight Medium Machine Gun for continued evaluation in a military program aimed at fielding a weapon system that would bridge the performance gap between the .50-caliber M2 machine gun and the M240 machine gun chambered for 7.62x51mm NATO.

“True Velocity’s .338 machine gun will change the battlefield for our warfighters. We are thrilled that FN will join with us so we can equip U.S. and Allied militaries with this combat advantage,” said True Velocity President and Chief Intellectual Property Officer Craig Etchegoyen. “It very quickly became clear that FN is a world-renowned, reliable and respected manufacturer of innovative machine guns, and we’re excited for them to join our mission.”

Over the past 40 years, FN’s production facility in Columbia, South Carolina, has produced over one million small arms under contract to the U.S. Department of Defense. Currently, FN America produces firearms, accessories and other adjacent products for the U.S. military, law enforcement agencies as well as authorized retailers. The company has manufactured the M4A1, M16A4, M249 light machine gun, M240 medium machine gun and FN SCAR® under contract for the U.S. military. 

“FN America is excited to bring its 40-plus years of U.S. government support in the manufacturing of belt-fed machine guns to the TV-FN alliance,” said Jim Williams, Vice President, Military Programs for FN America, LLC. “The natural teaming between True Velocity and FN America ensures success by combining the new technology designs of TV and the decades of manufacturing and U.S. Government support of FN America. And it’s equally exciting to extend the alliance globally through our sister company FN UK as we expand the growing relationship and joint expertise that TV and FN bring.” 

To learn more about FN’s military expertise and products, visit fnamerica.com/military.