The Armalite AR-15 assault rifle was in circulation in the SAF as early as the second half of the 1960s. However, getting them in the required quantities and at the required cost proved to be a challenge, as the rifles had to be shipped directly from Colt in the US - and after the US State Department approved them. As a result, the Singaporean government entered into an agreement with Colt (approved by the US State Department) to locally manufacture the venerable M16 military rifle known as the "M16S1" under license.
However, export restrictions on locally manufactured rifles remain problematic, prompting the Singapore government to fund the domestic design, development and introduction of in-house assault rifles worthy of its military. The new weapon will build on experience gained through the use and production of US weapons and will be available at a much lower local cost - the Singapore Army will no longer need to rely on foreign suppliers for critical war materiel.
In the late 1970s, Chartered Industries of Singapore (CIS) received foreign aid for developing a new automatic service rifle in partnership with British group Sterling Armaments Ltd. The design essentially became an improved version of the American AR-18, very much in line with Singapore's recent history of using small arms of American origin. A prototype was shown in 1978 and then tested.
Serial production began in 1980 and was officially taken over by the Singapore Armed Forces in 1984, codenamed "SAR-80" ("Singapore Assault Rifle 80"). The SAR-80 is designed to replace the ageing M16S1 series, and despite the lackluster operational review, the M16S1 will remain the Singapore Army's standard assault rifle in the near future - the Singapore Army still prefers their more expensive but proven M16 derivatives That's not to say the SAR-80 isn't being praised - it's certainly less expensive to mass-produce, and its inner workings are just as solid as the original Colt offering.
Thanks to the highly integrated internal design, controls during fully automatic firing are excellent and maintenance is relatively easy as the operator simply flips the lower receiver to access internal functions. Still, the SAR-80 continues to exist in limited quantities, with local production likely to total no more than 20,000 units before efforts wane. A number of other manufacturing batches are known to have been sold in overseas markets to customers in Croatia, Slovenia, Somalia and Sri Lanka, but this weapon has never left a large footprint in gun history.
A folding stock variant was also developed, intended as a selling point for paratroopers and other battlefield elements requiring a more compact assault rifle facility, but even this move received little publicity.
Externally, the SAR-80 mimics much of the original AR-18 in shape and overall function. It features a pneumatic breech with swivel bolt action while holding the widely accepted standard 5.56x45mm NATO cartridge, fired from a 30-round curved magazine. The SAR-80 can accept the same STANAG magazine as the M16 rifle series, which has logistical implications for the Singapore Army. The SAR-80 features a sturdy plastic stock and a fairly large receiver. The pistol grip is ergonomic and sloped back, while the thin trigger assembly is housed in a rectangular ring guard.
The magazine feed is traditionally placed in front of the pistol grip. The front is unique to the SAR-80, ergonomically ribbed and tapers towards the muzzle end. The front end also acts as a shield for the top-mounted gas cylinder and bottom-mounted barrel assembly. The barrel protrudes a short distance forward at the front end and is covered with a slotted flash suppressor.
The barrel's muzzle flash suppressor is designed to receive rifle grenades. A large sight is mounted on the receiver, from which a front column sight can be seen in front of the front. The ejection port is located on the right side of the fuselage.
Fire selector for single or fully automatic fire mode. At the bottom of the stock and the bottom of the barrel are slings for the shoulder straps, the latter located in front of the front sight.
An optional bipod can be mounted on the front of the front, and the service rifle can be used as a makeshift class suppression weapon.
The upcoming SR-88A became an "indirect" improvement of the original SAR-80. These versions are distinguished by their folding stock, integrated carry handle above the receiver, and support for the M203 40mm grenade launcher.
A shortened form of the carbine - essentially with a shorter barrel - was also released.
In 1999, the Singapore Army chose the CIS "SAR-21" bullpup assault rifle to replace their old M16S1 line as the standard stock assault rifle. CIS is now known under the "ST Kinetics" brand (since 2000).
- Frontline/Attack
970 mm (38.19 in)
459 mm (18.07 in)
3.70 kg
Adjustable Iron
Gas powered; rotating bolt
600 rounds per minute
SAR-80 - Base Series Name