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Singapore Army to Complete Transition to Colt IAR this Month

Our Bureau - : Jul 18, 2024 - : 10:14 pm

The Singapore Army is set to complete the transition from the Ultimax 100 SAW (Section Automatic Weapon) to the Colt IAR (Infantry Automatic Rifle) 6940E-SG by the end of this month, the Singapore Ministry of Defence announced on Wednesday, (Jul. 17).

The process to replace the Ultimax 100, which has been used since 1982, commenced in April 2024 following the announcement of the Colt IAR’s selection in May 2023. The Colt IAR was chosen over the Heckler & Koch M27 to succeed the Ultimax 100 in the service’s LMG (Light Machine Gun) category.

The new Colt IAR offers several advantages over its predecessor, including reduced weight, a more compact design, a higher rate of fire, and an extended effective range. Additionally, the new LMG is more versatile, capable of being equipped with various optical sights and firing assist tools. Unlike the Ultimax 100, which can only fire in full automatic mode, the new weapon can operate in both single-shot and full-automatic modes.

Developed from the M16 rifle / M4 carbine family, the Colt IAR is chambered in 5.56 x 45 mm calibre and uses a direct impingement system instead of a gas piston. It is compatible with NATO standard STANAG and drum magazines.

Weighing 4.95 kg with a fully loaded 30-round magazine, the new weapon has a length of 851 mm with the stock retracted and a barrel length of 406 mm. It boasts a rate of fire between 700 to 1000 rounds per minute and, with a muzzle velocity of 884 m/s, has a maximum effective range of 600 metres.

While the Colt IAR did not succeed in the United States Marine Corps (USMC)’s Infantry Automatic Rifle selection programme, it has been in service with Mexico’s Naval Infantry Corps since 2010.

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