Arms dealer Springer goes defence

Mr Springer, the general public knows your company for hunting weapons. What was the strategic thinking behind moving into the defence sector?
For us, this is not a new topic, because for 200 years we have been close to firearms. In 1980 we were closely involved in the invention of the P80, had a lot to do with Glock and took part in tenders in the law enforcement sector. From the civilian sector, we repeatedly receive enquiries that concern the classic dual-use area. The networks into the Austrian public-authority market are largely in place, partly because people there may know us from the civilian sphere as sport shooters.

Will this remain under the name Joh. Springer’s Erben, or will there be a separate defence brand?
As the project is only around twelve months old, I want to leave it like this for now. All trade licences are in place within the company. Whether a spin-off or a new company is created later, I am leaving open. For the Austrian location, it is currently not necessary to build up a large structure.

You recently started offering counter-drone solutions. What systems are these?
The main company we are presenting is Droneshield. It is an Australian listed company active in drone detection and electronic counter-drone defence. With a so-called “drone gun”, the aim is to bring drones down to the ground without destroying them explosively. My team will be trained on it over the coming months, and I would like to hold the roll-out at Dronevation & Defence on 21 May 2026 in Vienna.

What does the rest of your portfolio look like?
There is also a Brazilian company called Modirum Gespi. They are active in the general defence sector, on the one hand with large interceptor drones and in the kamikaze version, plus a lot in ammunition and software for AI-driven battlefield support.

Number three is the Bosnian company TRB, which is mainly active in armoured vehicles with innovative superstructures. Fourth, we represent SOG (Son of Gun) from Poland. They manufacture low-cost drones for interception, kamikaze attacks and reconnaissance. I am also in contact with the Czechoslovak Group (CSG), specifically with its American division called CSE. They are very innovative and strong in the market.

So you act as general importer?
As general importer and system integrator for the manufacturers mentioned. We are now seeing how the Austrian market responds. Territorially, we focus primarily on Austria, and in a second step we will look at the rest of Europe.

That means you are also approaching the Austrian Armed Forces (Bundesheer)?
Numerous suppliers are of course interested in the Bundesheer. Taking part is, for me, a mandate from the companies we cooperate with. There is a lot of good equipment on the market; we will see who prevails. Our focus, however, is more on energy infrastructure operators and event organisers. With Droneshield in particular, the technology is accessible and easy to operate. As Austrians, we do not see ourselves directly on the battlefield, but rather in the defence of critical infrastructure.

How did you select your partner companies?
I am an engineer and come from the field of firearms. I followed companies online, got to know them at trade fairs and picked out those with an interesting product and a reliable team behind it.

Do you already have customers for counter-drone systems?
Not yet in Austria. There are customers abroad, but I cannot name them.