The Omnipol Group of companies is headquartered in Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic. Throughout the country the Omnipol Group employs 4000 people, out of which over 400 are dedicated to research and development.
ERA, owned by OMNIPOL and located in the Czech town of Pardubice, produces the passive surveillance systems VERA NG and PLESS. ERA is also, a global supplier of systems for, air traffic management for both civilian and military airports.
Also owned by OMNIPOL, and located in the Czech town of Uherske Hradiste, is MESIT which develops and produces, specialized products and systems such as the RF 40 Radio, which is in service in some of the most demanding sectors of service.
The latest Czech based company to join the Omnipol Group, in 2022, is Aircraft Industries based in the town of Kunovice, which produces, amongst others, the L410 aircraft.
Omnipol is, since 2015, also the strategic partner and investor in the L-39NG, a subsonic military trainer and light attack aircraft manufactured by Aero Vodochody located on the outskirts of Prague. In 2021, the OMNIPOL Group became a minority owner of this company.
As of 2024, the OMNIPOL brand has 90 years of history.
1934 - Founding of OMNIPOL
1939 - Takeover of the Joint Stock Company formerly Škoda Plzen Plants, and discontinuation of the pre-war activities of OMNIPOL.
1945 - Restoration of OMNIPOL's business activities, at the same time nationalisation of the parent Joint Stock Company formerly Škoda Plants in Plzen.
1953 - By resolution of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia, all the import and export agenda for aircraft and sports weapons is transferred to OMNIPOL a.s..
1956 - Change in the articles of association of the company, OMNIPOL a.s. becomes the Foreign Trade Enterprise (FTE) OMNIPOL.
1960 - Within the division of labour of the RVHP, the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic it is recommended to concentrate on the development, and production of, trainer jet aircraft and small transport aircraft. OMNIPOL, from its position as FTE, exports all aircraft (mainly Zlin, LET, and AERO) all of which are produced in the Czechoslovakia. Furthermore, the development and production of airport equipment (Tesla Pardbubice) is focused in Czechoslovakia. OMNIPOL is also in charge of state-controlled business concerning special purpose materials.
1973 - The sporting arms agenda is separated from the OMNIPOL FTE, and transferred to FTE Merkuria.
1990 - The end of OMNIPOL's monopoly on the export and import of aircraft.
1996 - Privatisation of OMNIPOL a.s. completed.
2000 - After a period of searching for a new identity and new business opportunities in the 1990s, the company focuses on trading in high-tech products with high added value and investing in Czech traditional manufacturers.[1]
2011 - Acquisition of ERA a.s.[2]
2015 - OMNIPOL becomes the strategic partner and co-investor in the L-39NG project.[3]
2018 - Acquisition of MESIT holding a.s., a company engaged in the development and production of tactical communication systems and aeronautical instruments, as well as precision machining and specialized castings for the aerospace industry.[4]
2021 - OMNIPOL Group acquires a 25% stake in AERO Vodochody AEROSPACE a.s., which develops and produces the L-159 Alca and the L-39NG aircraft, building on the historic global success of the L-39 Albatros.[5]
2022 - Acquisition of Aircraft Industries a.s., which developed and produces the L 410 NG, building on the global success of the L 410 Turbolet.[6]
From 1975-1981, roughly 700 tons of Semtex plastic explosive were purchased and exported to Libya by OMNIPOL. As such, implications have been drawn that Semtex usage on the part of militant factions, such as the Irish Republican Army and the Palestine Liberation Organization, may have been originally sourced from OMNIPOL, given Libyan ties to such groups. Notably, it has been alleged that the Semtex utilized to carry out the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland was indirectly sourced from OMNIPOL via Libya, which, though not entirely substantiated or corroborated, is consistent with verifiable records of OMNIPOL arms sale connections to Libya.[7] [8]