Montenegro Becomes First Country in the World to Adopt BREN 3 Rifle

Montenegro received its first batch of Czech BREN 3 assault rifles as part of a large-scale rearmament of its armed forces.

This was reported by the Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces of the Czech Republic.

Representatives of the Ministry of Defence of Montenegro accepted the first several hundred small arms in Podgorica, purchased under an intergovernmental defense agreement that the parties signed on May 19, 2026.

By the end of 2026, the Czech Republic is to supply Montenegro with thousands of CZ BREN 3 assault rifles, as well as hundreds of pistols, sniper rifles, submachine guns, and various types of ammunition worth approximately €24.2 million.

The Czech Defense Ministry noted that the parties are already discussing a second intergovernmental agreement, with the next round of negotiations scheduled for mid-October.

In addition to exporting weapons to Montenegro, Colt CZ Group companies are also collaborating with the Ukrainian defense sector. In 2024, Ukraine and the Czech Republic agreed on the production in Ukraine of rifles from Česká zbrojovka and ammunition from Sellier & Bellot.

Montenegro—the first operator of the BREN 3

According to the Ministry of Defence of Montenegro, its armed forces will become the world’s first official operator of the CZ BREN 3 assault rifles.

The CZ BREN 3 is a third-generation modular assault rifle manufactured by Česká zbrojovka.

The rifle is available in 5.56×45 mm NATO and .300 Blackout calibers and can be equipped with barrels of various lengths.

The 5.56×45 mm version is available with barrels measuring 7, 11, 14.5, and 16.5 inches, while the .300 Blackout version comes with 7- and 9-inch barrels. Depending on the configuration, the weight is approximately 3–3.6 kg, and the standard magazine holds 30 rounds.

The system, which was unveiled in June 2024, was developed based on operational experience with previous BREN rifles, particularly during combat operations in Ukraine.

First cargo flight of the Czech C-390

The first shipment of weapons to Podgorica was transported by the Czech Air Force’s new Embraer C-390 Millennium military transport aircraft.

For this aircraft, the transport of weapons to Montenegro marked its first cargo flight following its delivery to the Czech military on October 6.

The Czech Republic ordered two C-390 Millennium aircraft in October 2024 to expand the capabilities of its military transport aviation.