Regional domestic small arms manufacturers are competing well against their global rivals.
With large armies to equip, the Asia-Pacific region offers a major market for both foreign and domestic manufacturers of small arms. The region represents the whole gamut of domestic development and manufacturing, through licensed production to the full importation of weapons such as pistols and rifles.
Australasia
Australia is a representative microcosm of these acquisition approaches, as it both manufactures weapons domestically and imports others from overseas. The Australian Army relies on EF88 5.56mm bullpup rifles manufactured by Thales Australia’s site in Lithgow, New South Wales. Delivery of 30,000 rifles plus 2,500 SL40 40mm under-barrel grenade launchers under Project Land 125 Phase 3C, worth $73.6 million, was completed in 2020. Then, in July that year, the Australian Defence Force (ADF) ordered 8,500 extra EF88 rifles.
In February 2022, Thales Australia commenced construction of a new manufacturing and integration hub at Lithgow. Formally opened last September, this purpose-built production facility will deliver next-generation Australian-designed weapons. It integrates new digital technologies such as 3D printing with traditional manufacturing processes, and includes automated electro-plating and other metal treatments, plus a live-fire test and evaluation range.
Thales Australia has been working with the Australian Army Headquarters on jointly researching, developing and designing a next generation of close-combat weapons ahead of Project Land 159 Tranche 2, due for consideration in 2024-25. Since early 2022, Thales Australia has worked with Melbourne-based Wedgetail Industries on the Australian Combat Assault Rifle (ACAR), currently available in 5.56mm and 7.62mm calibres. In July 2023, Thales Australia shipped an ACAR consignment to Ukraine, plus it will be offered for the aforementioned Tranche 2 programme. Thales Australia has also been developing a 6.8mm-calibre ACAR, a calibre selected after concerns about the stopping power of traditional 5.56mm rounds. Simultaneously, the company has developed both high-performance and armour-piercing 6.8mm rounds.
Greg Knowles, director Defence & Strategic Programs at Aquaterro, a company supplying SIG Sauer small arms to the ADF, told Asian Military Review that, “In the assault rifle/personal defence weapon space, the two emerging calibres are .300 Blackout (7.62x35mm) and 6.8x51mm.” The US Army, for instance, is acquiring SIG Sauer’s 6.8mm XM7 rifle and XM250 automatic rifle under its Next Generation Squad Weapon (NGSW) programme.
Knowles added: “6.5mm Creedmoor is coming to the fore as a round for snipers and marksmen. Other ‘new’ sniper cartridges and calibres include .338 Norma Magnum (eventually to replace Lapua Magnum) and .300 Winchester Magnum.” He further noted, “More importantly than calibre, in my opinion, is the emergence of cartridges that combine a brass body with a steel case head. Known as a hybrid cartridge case, the construction enables higher safe operating pressures, thus increasing the types of targets that can be defeated and the range at which that target defeat can be achieved.”
Another important small-arms player in Australia is privately owned firm Nioa, which announced in January 2023 it had acquired a 100 percent stake in Barrett Firearms, whose large-calibre rifles are used by more than 75 nations worldwide. This was a major move by Nioa, expanding the firm’s footprint well beyond Australian shores and giving it a decisive foothold in the US market. Instead of being just a distributor of firearms, Nioa is now a prominent manufacturer.
Domestically, Nioa is the prime contractor delivering the $380.6 million Project Land 159 Tranche 1. As part of a ‘best-of-breed’ selection process, Nioa sampled 649 products for 11 required systems in conjunction with the ADF. This effort resulted in a bevy of weapons being selected and procured, including the SIG Sauer P320 XCarry Pro 9mm pistol equipped with reflex sights and white-light illuminator, and the modular MCX Rattler personal defence weapon in .300 Blackout calibre for specialist roles. Meanwhile, the project is also acquiring Benelli M3A1 combat shotguns with red-dot sights and white-light illuminators.
Snipers are well catered for too, with Accuracy International’s multi-calibre AX-SR and Barrett M107A1 sniper rifles. Another weapon being supplied through Nioa is ZU Bladeworx’s double-edged fighting knife for hand-to-hand fighting. Brisbane-based Nioa is acquiring, supplying support services and providing through-life support for this multipronged Australian programme.
Nioa also sold SureFire suppressors to the New Zealand Defence Force in September 2022, and supported the force’s earlier acquisition of Glock G17 Gen4 pistols and Barrett M107A1 and .338 Lapua Magnum Multi-Role Adaptive Design (MRAD) rifles. In 2015 the New Zealand Army started replacing its Steyr AUG bullpup rifles with the Lewis Machine & Tool 5.56mm Modular Ambidextrous Rifle System – Light (MARS-L).
Indeed, New Zealand’s trajectory confirmed Knowles’ assertion that bullpup rifles are declining in popularity. “Countries that adopted bullpup-configuration rifles in the 1980s have either upgraded them over time (Singapore and Australia) or divested the fleets (France and NZ). Apart from a largely ideological discussion amongst enthusiasts, the decision to move from bullpups to conventional rifles appears to be driven by technical and commercial imperatives.”
He told AMR, “The bullpup appears to be a technical dead end, especially in an era of ‘enhanced’ projectiles fired from more energetic cartridges. These cartridges, epitomised by the US 5.56x45mm M855A1, 7.62x51mm M80A1 and 6.8x51mm XM1186, effectively decouple useable muzzle velocity being a function of barrel length, thereby negating the bullpup’s traditional value proposition.”
Enduring Russian popularity
Some Asian countries have traditionally preferred Russian weapons, and they remain popular. India ordered 70,000 AK-203 7.62x39mm rifles under an emergency procurement in August 2021 and, three years after the idea was first mooted, Indo-Russian Rifles became a joint venture created to produce multitudes of AK-203s to replace the Indian Army’s problematic INSAS 5.56mm rifle. Under a deal signed in December 2021, an Uttar Pradesh factory is supposed to produce 601,427 AK-203 rifles that will eventually attain 100 percent Indian content. Production of the first rifles commenced in January 2023, but the project has met roadblocks because of international sanctions against Russia and relatively expensive costs of $1,130 per rifle.
In typically Indian fashion, procurement of small arms has been chaotic. In February 2019, the army signed a $100.8 million deal with US-based SIG Sauer for 72,400 SIG 716 7.62mm rifles. However, Delhi declined to proceed with a follow-on order, instead stipulating that new weapons should be manufactured domestically. Yet in the latest turnaround, India is apparently seeking a similar quantity of extra SIG 716s because of issues with AK-203 production.
Similar dysfunctionality has plagued Indian efforts to acquire 5.56mm carbines. Responses to a request for proposals for 425,213 close-quarters carbines were due in February 2023, these to have 60 percent indigenous content but which can be foreign designs. UAE-based Caracal had previously been shortlisted to fast-track the delivery of 94,000-odd CAR 816 carbines in late 2018, but India later inexplicably reversed its decision.
Indian companies are desperate to get in on the action, but it is not easy to compete with tried-and-tested products from overseas. However, Lokesh Machine achieved a sale of 550 Asmi 9x19mm submachine guns in April, this being significant because it is the first indigenously developed weapon to be purchased by the army since the INSAS.
In 2022, India issued a request for proposals (RfP) for around 4,800 bolt-action sniper rifles chambered in .338 Lapua Magnum and fitted with 5-25x telescopic sights with a budget of $57 million. These must be made in India, and will replace the Dragunov SVD. To fill gaps in India’s stop-start quest for sniper rifles, the army earlier made an emergency procurement of Sako TRG 42 .338 sniper rifles.
Light machine guns
Indicative of the large size of many Indian orders, which keep foreign vendors coming back despite the headache of Indian procurement processes, Delhi signed a $118.8 million contract with Israel Weapon Industries (IWI) in 2020 for 16,479 Negev NG7 7.62mm light machine guns. The army’s ultimate requirement is for 40,000 such weapons.
Regarding light machine guns, Knowles of Aquaterro observed: “Some armies are looking to acquire ‘assault machine guns’ such as the FN EVOLYS, which reduce the overall system weight by removing features required by true light machine guns, such as quick-change barrels and the ability to mount them on pintles and cradles. More modern light machine guns are lighter than legacy ones; they achieve this weight reduction by improving recoil management systems and moving from a fixed barrel to a reciprocating action which permits the use of aluminium receivers.”
Knowles further noted, “More light machine guns are being retrofitted or acquired with a view to being able to host aiming lasers, optics, thermal and image-intensifying in-line systems.” Additionally, ergonomic factors are coming to the fore, such as telescoping stocks to provide an adjustable length of pull.
Foreign penetration
Overseas small-arms manufacturers are typically keen to score business in Asia-Pacific, and this often involves industrial tie-ups with local partners. One company illustrating this approach is Caracal, part of the EDGE Group. Hamad Al Ameri, Caracal’s CEO, told AMR that “the Asia-Pacific region is an important market for us, and it’s equally important that our approach and solutions directly address the region’s unique security landscape and operational requirements”.
He highlighted several regional agreements that encompass transfer of technology, licensing for resale and localised manufacturing. “In India, we have a licensing agreement with ICOMM for localised production of our full line of firearms. What’s interesting about this partnership is that it includes the first-ever transfer of technology in small arms from the UAE to India.”
Caracal also has a partner in South Korea, specifically with K-Tech Firearms. Hamad Al Ameri explained, “The partnership has given us a footprint in the region, enabled localised production of our high-performance firearms in South Korea and, most importantly, it has given both companies valuable insights into precision manufacturing and firearms development.” Furthermore, Caracal has an agreement with Ketech Asia in Malaysia for localised assembly and resale of CAR 816 assault rifles. “The agreement includes transfer of technology and, in the future, we may explore other opportunities in Malaysia for the full range of our firearms.”
The CEO declined to discuss regional sales, other than to say, “…We’re very active in the region, and I prefer to focus on what partners and customers are saying about our firearms. The manufacturing and resale agreements speak for themselves; we’re open to business models that suit the circumstances, and local industry believes we are the best partner to meet law enforcement and armed forces requirements. Additionally, we’re competing with companies that span century-long histories, yet end-users are selecting our firearms as the top choice. What this means is that we’re succeeding in our goal to disrupt the global firearms industry through innovative product development, advanced manufacturing and an inclusive approach to business models.”
Caracal said the CAR 816 has “received considerable interest,” as has its latest F Gen II pistol, CMP9 submachine gun and sniper rifles. “Customers want a firearm that does not weigh them down more than necessary, while providing comfortable and adaptable ergonomics, relatively easy maintenance and accessory changes, flawless operation in all foreseeable conditions and environments, and effective stopping power with optimal and maintainable accuracy. These are our guiding principles from design to manufacturing.”
Hamad Al Ameri concluded: “The bottom line is that our solutions offer the advantage of being tailored to operational requirements, while we offer the advantage of tailoring our business model to regional requirements.”
Suppressors
Some armies are fielding suppressors more widely than to just special forces, with such devices helpful in reducing both acoustic and visual signatures when firing. Knowles, a former ADF officer, observed: “The Australian Army has suppressors fitted to their EF88s and F89 Minimis in ‘big army’. Weapons acquired via Land 159, such as the MCX and sniper rifles, are also being acquired with suppressors.” He highlighted that the U.S. Army’s NGSW programme intends to have 100 percent suppressor coverage across the entire acquisition objective of 111,428 XM7 rifles and 13,334 XM250 light machine guns.
Knowles commented too, “Pistols seem to be increasingly acquired for general-purpose forces fitted with red-dot optics and weapon lights.” He gave the example of the SIG Sauer P320 being acquired by the Australian Army to replace the Browning Mk3.
East Asia
The East Asian nations of China, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan have vibrant small-arms industries. South Korea’s armed forces, for instance, are essentially self-sufficient in small-arms production. The long-serving K2 5.56mm assault rifle is being replaced by the K2C1 from SNT Motiv. First delivered in 2016, the 8.12 pound (3.684kg) K2C1 features a telescopic stock and Picatinny rail.
More recently, in December 2021, South Korea’s military began fielding SNT Motiv’s new 7.62mm general-purpose machine gun called the K16. Serving as a platoon-level machine gun, the 23lb (10.4kg) K16 will gradually replace the M60 7.62mm machine gun and K3 5.56mm light machine gun. SNT Motiv also introduced the K15 and K15PARA 5.56mm light machine guns in 2020.
SNT Motiv’s closest South Korean competitor is Dasan Machineries, although the latter tends to focus on export sales. At last year’s Seoul ADEX exhibition, Dasan was promoting its DSAR-15 family that appeared in 2016. The company’s DSAR-15PC 5.56mm rifle with 11.5-inch barrel was selected in June 2020 to meet a requirement for 16,300 new carbines for South Korea’s Special Warfare Command. However, that selection was suspended after allegations of misconduct.
In the interim, SNT Motiv won the follow-on Special Operations Submachinegun Type II programme with its STC16 5.56mm carbine. Entering service late last year, the military calls the 6.6lb (3kg) weapon the K13, and it will replace ageing K1A submachine guns. SNT Motiv reported several years ago that it had produced more than 1.3 million K-series weapons to date, and had achieved export orders of $300 million.
Turning to Japan, its newest 5.56mm assault rifle is the Type 20 from Howa Machinery. In 2019 it was announced that the Type 20 had defeated Heckler & Koch’s HK416 and FN Herstal’s SCAR-L in competitive trials. Its unit price is around $1,890, and around 150,000 units are needed to gradually replace the Type 89. Its standard variable-power 8x telescopic sight is made by Deon Optical Design, a Japanese company formed only in 2004. The Type 20 fires a new 5.56x45mm high-power cartridge known as the J-3.
Just to show that foreign weapons are still sought after, Japan selected H&K’s SFP9 striker-fire 9mm pistol in 2019. Then last year, Japan announced it was procuring H&K’s G28 E2 7.62mm sniper rifle and FN Herstal’s Minimi Mk3 5.56mm light machine gun too.
The most widespread rifle in China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA), the world’s largest military, is the QBZ95/QBZ95-1 5.8mm bullpup rifle. First witnessed in 1997, the Type 95 weighs 7.3lbs (3.3kg) and has a 400m range. In 2019 a replacement assault rifle was observed in a Beijing parade – the QBZ-191 that shares the same 5.8x42mm calibre. The standard version has a 14-inch barrel, while the QBZ-192 carbine version for vehicle crews (10.5-inch barrel) and QBU-191 designated marksman rifle are also available. China is yet another example of a nation abandoning bullpup rifles.
There is strong demand for domestic production of small arms in Asia-Pacific, and space has precluded mentioning others like Indonesia, Singapore and Taiwan that all make their own weapons. Nonetheless, there is ample scope for foreign manufacturers too, especially if they are willing to transfer technology and localise production.
by Gordon Arthur
