Canada-based company PGW Defense Technologies has confirmed the sale of the newest LRT-3 sniper rifles to Ukraine for around $770,000.
In an interview with Ukrainian media outlet, UATV, Ross Spagrud, the owner of Winnipeg-based PGW Defence Technologies, confirmed that the company is providing Ukraine with the LRT-3 50-cal BMG bolt action rifle, after about 3-4 months of negotiations.
The deal, announced by Ross Spagrud, covers delivery of LRT-3 sniper rifles, .50 caliber, as well as certain post-sales support, maintenance and training.
Also, Ross Spagrud noted that the new rifles, worth about $770,000, could be delivered to Ukraine in Autumn.
In the basic configuration, the LRT-3 rifle has an empty weight of 11.4 kg. The rifle itself has a length of 1,333 mm (closed with brake 1,104 mm). It has a magazine capacity of 5 rounds.
The LRT-3 should be capable of fast, accurate, and concentrated firepower to defeat targets at distances up to a range of 1800 m.
In December 2017, the House of Commons Defence Committee recommended the Canadian government to provide lethal weapons to Ukraine provided it demonstrates it is actively working to eliminate corruption at all levels of government. Senior officials from Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence had told members of the House of Commons Defence Committee last year they would welcome arms from Canada, including anti-tank weapons. They also told the Committee that the Ukrainian military’s sniper equipment is obsolete and needs to be replaced. “In part to alter the situation in Eastern Ukraine in a significant manner, the country would be interested in acquiring Canadian sniper equipment — rifles, telescopes and related items — and receiving sniper training from the Canadians,” said the committee’s December report.
This LRT-3 rifle, designed for counter-terror operations in urban and jungle environments, can be folded to be carried in a motorcycle pannier to be infiltrated discreetly into the target area.