BREDA was founded in 1925, exclusively for the design and manufacture of light armament, but the Company undertook its real production program only after the conclusion of an agreement with FIAT, until then the leading company in the sector.

BREDA took over the patents relating to automatic weapons and had its first success with the Model 30 machine gun, winner of the contest to supply the Italian Army with an automatic infantry weapon.

From 1932, until the end of the Second World War, at least a couple of BREDA guns, in the 20 caliber and specially in the 12.7 caliber, armed all the Italian fighter aircraft.

The end of the war found BREDA sharing not only the dramatic situation in which Italy struggled, but also the problem of reconverting production to peace-time needs and it is of that period the production of motor cycles, light motor cars and cotton knitting looms for stocking.

At the beginning of 1951, BREDA Management initiated the financial re-adjustment and reorganization of the company that took the name of BREDA MECCANICA BRESCIANA.

The new activity was developed on Mellor looms for shaped stockings and on prestigious sporting guns that had a worldwide success.

In 1962 BREDA MECCANICA BRESCIANA was transfered to EFIM (the State owned financial holding) and the activity in the defence weapon field started again.

The product that led to a decisive turn in the fortunes of the Company was the Bofors 40mm anti-aircraft gun which was adopted by the Italian Armed Forces in its updated 40/70 version.

It can be said that BREDA MECCANICA BRESCIANA reached again the position of leader company in the traditional sectors of activity which had made the company famous before the war.

In 1992, after the liquidation of EFIM, BREDA MECCANICA BRESCIANA passed under FINMECCANICA and was merged with Oto Melara in 1994 creating Otobreda Division that, on December 1st, 2001, became Oto Melara S.p.A. again, following on a process of rationalization that FINMECCANICA decided to undertake.