Variants SAR-21 Bullpup Assault Rifle Singapore Armed Forces

The SAR-21 Assault Rifle is a bullpup weapon using gas operation. Virtually the entire exterior of the SAR-21 Bullpup Assault Rifle is made from high-strength polymers and composites. The SAR-21 Assault Rifle is very well-balanced, and in fact (rather inaccurate) one-handed firing on full automatic is possible. Two barrels are available, one rifled for SS-109-type ammunition, and one designed for older M-193-type ammunition.

The magazines designed for the SAR-21 Bullpup Assault Rifle are made from translucent polymer, but the SAR-21 Bullpup Assault Rifle may also accept STANAGcompatible M-16-type magazines as well as those designed for the Steyr AUG A1. The controls are ambidextrous, and the cocking handle is located over the receiver (under the sight/carrying handle), using a large handle for easy gripping; it also folds forward to prevent it catching on the surroundings. The standard SAR-21 Assault Rifle includes a 1.5x optical sight in the sight/carrying handle tube; atop this tube are backup iron sights.

SAR-21 Bullpup Assault Rifle

In the forward upper handguard, the SAR-21 has an integral laser aiming module; the standard
LAD (Laser Aiming Device) uses a visible red dot, but it may be exchanged for a LAD producing a dot visible only with night vision equipment or image intensifiers. Under the handguard is a small knob; this allows the user to keep the LAD switched on permanently, or be actuated by a switch near the rest of the fire control switches. The stock includes a padded cheekpiece covered by Kevlar. The standard handguard may be removed, allowing the mounting of a 40mm 40GL or M-203-type grenade launcher. In this case, a quadrant sight platform is installed where the LAD is normally placed, and the LAD relocated to this platform beside the quadrant sight. (In this guise, the SAR-21 is known as the SAR-21 GL).

SAR-21 LWC Assault Rifle

 

Variants include the SAR-21 P-Rail, which has the standard sight/carrying handle replaced by a MIL-STD-1913 rail and the charging handle relocated to the left side of the weapon. (This version is otherwise identical to the standard SAR-21 for game purposes, except for the game cost and the weight.) The SAR-21 Modular (also called the SAR-21 RIS) also has a MIL-STD-1913 rail in place of the sight/carrying handle and a relocated charging handle, but it also has shorter MIL-STD-1913 rails on the sides and the bottom of the fore-end. (This version is also virtually identical to the standard SAR-21 for game purposes.) The SAR-21 Sharpshooter uses a 3x scope in the carrying handle instead of the standard sight, and uses a heavier barrel.

Sar21-LMG

Introduced in 1999, the SAR-21 is intended to replace all of the current Singaporean assault rifles as well as several submachineguns and certain designated marksman and sniper rifles. ST Kinetics also hopes for international sales, and several countries are reportedly interested; there may possibly even have already been some sales to undisclosed parties. The SAR-21 was designed to meet the qualifications for NATO-compatible assault rifles as well as more general requirements and the needs of the Singaporean Armed Forces.