ST Kinetics (CIS) Ultimax 100

History of ST Kinetics (CIS) Ultimax 100

The Ultimax 100 light infantry support weapon was designed in 1977 by American firearms engineer Leroy James Sullivan (Jim Sullivan), whose work also includes the Stoner 63, Ruger Mini-14 and M16 rifles - scaled down versions of all existing large rifles weapon system. The focus of development is to produce a high-quality weapon that is reliable in battlefield conditions, can be carried by one person, and can deliver substantial firepower to a target or target area. The resulting weapon system - the Ultimax 100 (or "M100" or "U100") - was introduced to the SAF in 1982 and is in service elsewhere. Production was initially taken over by Chartered Industries of Singapore collectively known as "CIS" and consisted mainly of stampings and stampings with plastic pistol grips, foregrips and stocks for lighter end products.

In 2000, CIS was acquired by ST Kinetics, which now claims to own the Ultimax 100 series. Around 80,000 samples are believed to have been produced to date and production is still ongoing.

The Ultimax 100 is loaded with NATO standard 5.56x45mm cartridges and can be fired from a standard 20 or 30 round STANAG arc magazine or a 100 round Beta C-Mag drum. The weapon is pneumatic with a rotating bolt action. The system weighs about 10.5 pounds and varies only slightly between variants in the series. The barrel length of the machine gun was approximately 1,030 mm and was shortened by removing the detachable stock. The standard barrel length is 508mm (20"), while the "short" barrel measures just 330mm (13") - both are "quick change" and feature a muzzle flash suppressor and grenade launcher support.

The shortened barrel shape is best suited for special operations forces or paratrooper elements, where portability is key to the equipment. Muzzle velocity is about 3,100 feet per second, depending on the cartridge used - M193 or SS109/M855 series. The sights consist of a fully adjustable rear aperture (side) tangential blade sight, attached to an adjustable front post (side and height), and via a bipod mounted in front of the front end and a front under the barrel housing Grips further improve accuracy. Each barrel retains its own front sight, so the barrel can be fine-tuned ("zeroed") for individual weapons.

The rate of fire is between 400 and 600 rounds per minute, which is fairly low compared to other weapons in its class, but the "bounce" of the weapon is kept to an absolute minimum thanks to the use of a patented "constant recoil" system. The pull handle is mounted on the upper left of the frame near the pistol grip.

The Ultimax 100 has been developed into five different variants or "brands". The Mark I designation is used to define pre-production models with quick-change barrels. The Mark II form receives a fixed barrel assembly. Both the Mark I and Mark II carry handles are located in the center of the receiver.

Mark III variants feature quick-change barrels in standard and short/compact barrel lengths, the latter for improved portability. The Mark IV is a development program proposed by the U.S. Marine Corps specifically during the Infantry Automatic Rifle Program Competition. A revised fire selector was introduced, but the USMC chose a different direction.

The Mark V became a modernized version of the discontinued Mark IV with a redesigned folding stock to support STANAG magazines or M16 style drums, and a Picatinny-style accessory rail system. At this time, the Ultimax 100 was also modified to be used for shooting car mounts.

The Ultimax 100 is currently in service with the armed forces of Singapore, Brunei, Croatia, Indonesia, Peru, Philippines, Slovenia and Zimbabwe. The weapon was widely used in campaigns in the former Yugoslavia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Fiji, civil wars in Afghanistan and Sri Lanka.

CIS marketed the Ultimax 100, claiming it was "...the lightest of all LMGs designed from the start for single-man operation."

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