Indian Produce Variant MTAR-21 Assault Rifle and Zittara Assault Rifle

MTAR-21 Assault Rifle

The Indian variant of the MTAR-21 Assault Rifle, the Zittara Assault Rifle, is largely the same as the MTAR-21 in most respects: it is topped with a MIL-STD-1913 rail, able to take most underbarrel 40mm grenade launchers (given the right adapters), and equipped under most circumstances with the Israeli-made MARS sight – an integrated unit with a low-magnification sight, a red-dot reflex sight, day/night channels, and a laser aiming module. The sight can also take clip-on NVGs. The barrel of the Zittara Assault Rifle, however, is 12.99 inches long – over 3 inches longer than that of its MTAR-21 parent. The flash suppressor is also (very) slightly different, a concession to local manufacturing methods, and the top MIL-STD-1913 rail is a longer than that found on the MTAR-21 Assault Rifle. Primarily due to the longer barrel and local manufacturing methods, the Zittara assault rifle is also a little heavier than the MTAR-21 Assault Rifle.

In 2006, the Indian Army expressed to IMI in Israel their interest in the Tavor series, and specifically the MTAR and MTAR 9mm (though they left the door open for the purchase of other members of the Tavor family). The Indian Army has invested about $20 million in the acquisition of these MTARs and ancillary equipment, and deliveries appear to have begun in mid-2007. These MTAR Assault rifle variants, called the Zittara Assault rifle series by the Indians, are destined to equip the Indian Army’s best special operations units.

Zittara Assault Rifle

The Zittara shares with the MTAR-21 the ability to use kits to convert the Zittara into a submachinegun; however, the Zittara can also be converted into a sort of PDW/high-power SMG, firing a round based on the Colt’s experimental 5.56mm MARS round (no relation to the MARS sight). The 9mm Parabellum version uses the same barrel length as the Zittara assault rifle, but has no flash suppressor, and can use a locally-produced 30-round magazine (rumored to be based upon the Sten magazine) as well as Uzi magazines. The 9mm Parabellum version, like the MTAR 9mm, can also have its barrel replaced with barrel that has an integral silencer.

Zittara Assault Rifle

The High-Power SMG version also uses the same 12.99-inch barrel, but the flash suppressor is retained. The High-Power SMG version is fed by a 30-round magazine designed for the purpose. The cyclic rate of fire is slightly higher than that of the Zittara Assault Rifle, but the increase in cyclic rate is inconsequential for game purposes. The Zittara Series is not available in the Twilight 2000 timeline. In the Merc 2000 timeline, the Indians have kept their Zittaras quite close, and have never exported them. Of course, some Zittaras have inevitably been captured by the Pakistanis, and the Pakistanis are reportedly working on reverseengineering
them.