KWESST buys Police Ordnance Company

There's some shifting inside Canada's arms industry this week, with the announcement Ontario-based KWESST Micro Systems has purchased Police Ordnance Company Inc., which is also located in Ontario (with some operations based out of Florida).

Neither of these companies are likely household names to Canadian shooters, as they sell primarily to law enforcement or military. KWESST is best-known for communications systems and other electronic technology it provides to military and police customers. KWESST also plans to introduce a Low Energy Cartridge product line at SHOT Show this winter, so it's setting its sights on the munitions market.

That explains its purchase of Police Ordnance Company (aka POC), which owns the patents and trademarks to the ARWEN line of less-lethal launchers. The ARWEN launcher was originally developed by Royal Enfield (and the British military was an early customer; ARWEN stands for Anti-Riot Weapon ENfield). However, POC has had rights to the patents for years and has been manufacturing these launchers in Canada. POC also has the patents and trademarks to a proprietary line of less-lethal 37 mm cartridges that are intended for use by riot police or other tactical units. You can see the Calgary Police demonstrating an ARWEN launcher below. Below that, you can see the ARWEN launcher demo'd on Discovery:

Practically speaking, it seems unlikely that this move will affect Canadian civilian shooters to any extent. However, it's interesting to see the move, particularly when combined with KWESST's plans for its less-lethal LEC munitions line.

That line of munitions is supposed to be more reliable than pneumatic-based or energy-based systems. A press release earlier this year said the new LEC cartridge system avoids these problems by creating a new cartridge-based system: "The firing platforms are offered in various patterns that replicate the look of a real firearm, or avoid the appearance of a firearm altogether, at the user's choice. The proprietary LEC cartridge automatically stabilizes the projectile for accuracy and distance, with an energetic actuator that controls velocity and muzzle energy well below lethal levels, and with no need for gunpowder or conventional propellant. The system's soft frangible projectiles come with various payloads, including coloured marking agent, inert powder or a safe but powerful irritant powder that temporarily incapacitates subjects."

Will KWESST somehow combine that technology with the ARWEN launcher? Officially, Jeff MacLeod, the founder, president and CEO of KWESST, said "The ARWEN product line can benefit from a 37mm version of our Low Energy Cartridge ("LEC") and KWESST can fast-track entry to the law enforcement market for its LEC products through POC's selling relationships and channels. We believe the current ARWEN product as is can add up to C$1M in revenue in 2022, with outlier margin contribution and scope for significant future growth." Sounds like the plan might be to run both lines concurrently, then.