This may not be something that impacts us civilians on the surface, but it is telling of Sig's ambitions as it continues to strive for more defense contracts. In just a few short years we've seen Sig go from an offshoot of a foreign company to a US company manufacturing handguns, rifles, suppressors, ammunition, sighting systems, and it looks like soon they'll be integrating robotics. As far as I know General Robotics products are those used in automated or remote-operation weapons stations such as that depicted in the picture.
This speaks to the potential longevity of the company as it's likely to become even more intertwined in government/military sales. What does this mean for us consumers? Hopefully it means Sig is a going to be a stable, long-lasting, "we make everything" company. It does, however, also include the risk that Sig becomes "too big to suceed" with projects and contracts pulling it in all sorts of directions. The difference between the two potential outcomes will comes down to company leadership and politics. We've enjoyed Sig's consumer products and hope they don't "pull a Colt" and get so wrapped up in government commitments that they forget to care about consuers. As you may recall it was when Colt lost those contracts that they attempted to return to the consumer market they had neglected for decades. Colt had lost touch with consumers and ultimately failed before being bought by a foreign company so the name could live on today.
Here's the original text from Sig's press release:
"NEWINGTON, N.H., (March 16, 2023) – SIG SAUER is extremely excited to announce the acquisition of General Robotics, one of the world’s premier manufacturers of lightweight remote weapon stations and tactical robotics for manned and unmanned platforms and anti-drone applications.
Ron Cohen, President and CEO, SIG SAUER, Inc. began, “This acquisition will greatly enhance SIG SAUER’s growing portfolio of advanced weapon systems. The team at General Robotics is leading the way in the development of intuitive, lightweight remote weapon stations with their battle-proven solution.”
Recently, the U.S. Army selected the SIG SAUER lightweight machine gun (XM250), automatic rifle (XM7), and high-pressure hybrid ammunition for the Next Generation Squad Weapons (NGSW) program, representing a historic step forward in weapons technology. The NGSW program is currently in the early stages of adoption and the U.S. Army will field the weapons at the squad level in 2023.
"The combination of the General Robotics remote weapons station with SIG SAUER’s lightweight squad weapons and high-pressure hybrid ammunition will revolutionize small arms for military forces worldwide. This acquisition exponentially increases the capabilities of our lightweight weapon systems delivering transformative advancements in mobility, greater lethality and battle tested force protection for today’s warfighters,” continued Cohen.
"General Robotics and all our employees are honored to join forces with global defense leader SIG SAUER to integrate our platforms into a single solution to support military units around the world,” concluded Shahar Gal, CEO, General Robotics.
About SIG SAUER, Inc.
SIG SAUER, Inc. is a leading provider and manufacturer of firearms, electro-optics, ammunition, airguns, suppressors, remote controlled weapons stations, and training. For over 250 years SIG SAUER, Inc. has evolved, and thrived, by blending American ingenuity, German engineering, and Swiss precision. Today, SIG SAUER is synonymous with industry-leading quality and innovation which has made it the brand of choice amongst the U.S. Military, the global defense community, law enforcement, competitive shooters, hunters, and responsible citizens. Additionally, SIG SAUER is the premier provider of elite firearms instruction and tactical training at the SIG SAUER Academy. Headquartered in Newington, New Hampshire, SIG SAUER has over 3,200 employees across twelve locations in three states. For more information about the company and product line visit: sigsauer.com."