Pindad SS2

Pindad SS2 History

The Indonesian company of PT Pindad has obtained a local production license from the Belgian company Fabrique Nationale to manufacture FN FNCs for the Indonesian Armed Forces. This locally produced version is known as the "SS1" and it designed several variants of the basic form of the assault rifle. The core of the weapon is a gas operating system with a rotating bolt system and fires 5.56x45 NATO cartridges (as in the FN FNC).

Introduced in 1991, the SS1 has since proven to be a viable front-line assault rifle that has served the needs of the Indonesian military for decades.

At the beginning of the new century, as the successor to the SS1 family, attention turned to developing a more modern and localized design - which eventually became the "SS2" ("Senapan Serbu 2"/"Assault Rifle 2"" ). The SS2 incorporates a lot of design and functional experience gained through the production and operational use of the Belgian FNC. In addition, the Indonesian Armed Forces rely on the American M16.

The resulting weapon thus becomes a decidedly hybrid beast, although it Has its own strong design.

Visually, the SS2 is a very refined design, somewhat mimicking the lines of the famous American M16 assault rifle. The backbone of SS1/FNC retains and maintains its foldable properties. The receiver has been cleaned up to some extent and shows a smooth outline. On top of the receiver is an M16-like carry handle (with integrated sight) that can be removed for optics via the Picatinny accessory rail system. The pistol grip is ribbed and ergonomically angled like the SS1, while the trigger assembly has been slightly redesigned with a larger ring.

The magazine feed is located in front of the trigger and supports 20 or 30 round detachable STANAG magazines. The front end is ribbed for a firm grip, while the upper is perforated to improve cooling. Like the SS1, the SS2 has a top mounted gas cylinder and bottom mounted barrel assembly.

A prominent front iron sight is clearly visible at the end of the foregrip, while the barrel is covered by an M16 style slotted flash hider.

Like SS1 before it, SS2 has expanded into other relevant but useful battlefield formats. The SS2-V1 is the main base assault rifle shape, while the SS2-V2 is nothing more than a carbine shape with a shortened barrel and front grip.

The SS2-V4 is a form of the Designated Marksman Rifle (DMR) designed to fill the role between the assault rifle soldier and the dedicated sniper. The optics of this version are standard. The SS2-V5 is a compact based on the assault rifle version for vehicle crews, special forces and paratroopers. Overall, the different versions are loaded with the same 5.56x45mm NATO cartridge, using STANAG magazines and retaining the uniform mold of the original SS2 design.

Of course, this has logistical and economic implications for any government military budget today.

To date, the production and supply of the SS2 rifle has been somewhat limited since its introduction in 2006, although it was intended to completely replace the upcoming SS1 series. Tens of thousands have been ordered since 2005.

Of course, the widespread acceptance of the weapon will be a determining factor in judging the quality and usefulness of the SS2 on the modern battlefield.

PT Pindad also considered it appropriate to develop the SS3 to follow the SS2 in service. This version is also suitable for the 5.56x45mm NATO cartridge and retains most of the features of the previous SS1 and SS2. However, the weapon is designed with a "bull-fighting" configuration, which provides some advantages (and limitations) in its overall operation. Bullpup assault rifles are very popular in today's firearm market because their configuration includes repositioning the magazine feed behind the pistol grip, making it part of the stock, which in turn allows for a more compact shape while maintaining Full length barrel utilized. Single-shot accuracy is said to increase because the operator can bring the main part of the weapon closer to the body.

However, the stock is fixed and cannot be folded as easily as conventionally designed weapon systems. This arrangement also places the cartridge ejection opening dangerously close to the operator's face, favoring right-handed users. Automatic fire is somewhat affected by muzzle elevation.

To date, operators of the SS2 series of rifles include Bangladesh, Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates. The UAE is said to have made the weapon locally with a license. Bangladesh got the SS2-V5 version for Black Hawk special forces.

The series is jointly run by the Indonesian Army and the Corpasca Special Forces.

Brunei, Iraq and Myanmar have expressed interest in working on Pindad products.

Specification

Roles

Dimensions

Performance

Changes