The Archon Firearms Type B traces its roots back to the Russian-designed Strizh (Strike One) pistol developed around 2011-2012 by Dmitri Streshinsky (founder of Arsenal Firearms) and Nicola Bandini. Rebranding to Archon (2018): Due to an international licensing and naming dispute with Arsenal USA, Arsenal Firearms USA rebranded itself as Archon Firearms in late 2017, renaming the compact pistol the Archon Type B (Gen 1). Production shifted to European manufacturing partners like RUAG.