ASEAN HEADLINE-DEFENCE | All active Singapore Army units to be equipped with new light machine gun by end-July
The Colt Infantry Automatic Rifle 6940E-SG is described as more reliable, accurate and ergonomic. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM.
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SINGAPORE – By the end of July, all active units in the Singapore Army will be equipped with, and progressively trained on, the army’s newest light machine gun (LMG), said the Ministry of Defence on July 17.
The Colt Infantry Automatic Rifle (IAR) 6940E-SG – described as a more reliable, accurate and ergonomic rifle – will replace the Singapore-made Ultimax 100 Section Automatic Weapon (SAW), which has been in service since 1982.
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The progressive roll-out of the LMG started in April.
It is lighter, shorter and has an effective range of 600m, compared with the SAW’s 460m. It can fire 700 to 1,000 rounds per minute, compared with the SAW, which fires 400 to 600 rounds per minute.
The LMG also has a scope that magnifies a subject three times – the SAW has no magnification – and has a red dot sight, which is a type of aiming device that uses a red dot to help shooters aim more accurately.
In comparison, the SAW uses iron sight, an aiming device comprising two parts: a front sight at the end of the gun’s barrel and a rear sight closer to the shooter’s eye. Both these sights should be aligned for accurate aim.
The LMG has a multi-purpose laser aiming device, including a torchlight and infrared laser, to help soldiers in different combat scenarios, especially at night. It also has dual firing modes – semi-automatic and automatic.
In semi-automatic mode, each pull of the trigger fires one shot, while in automatic mode, holding down the trigger continuously fires multiple shots.
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These are just a few features of the newest LMG, Lieutenant-Colonel Chan Wen Kai, head of plans at HQ Singapore 9th Division/Infantry, told reporters at the Multi-Mission Range Complex in Pasir Laba Camp at a media briefing on July 17.
LMGs are infantry support weapons for a soldier to provide firepower so that a squad of soldiers can move or advance.
He said the acquisition of this LMG is part of the army’s “modernisation and renewal of equipment to meet evolving operational contexts”.
“In recent years, we recognise the increasing prevalence of urban operations and the need to minimise collateral damage, especially when our soldiers operate in a complex urban environment,” said LTC Chan.
This new weapon allows the army to operate more effectively in conventional terrain and the urban context, LTC Chan added.
Other features of the gun include the Picatinny rail system, which allows easy attachment of gun accessories, and adjustable parts to make the gun more comfortable for users.
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Master Sergeant Mohd Nazhan Alkamah said the LMG has features such as an adjustable buttstock – the part of a gun that rests against the shoulder when a soldier shoots – and foregrip, the handle on the front of a gun that helps the soldier hold it steady.
The 26-year-old senior trainer of the small-arms wing at the Infantry Training Institute added that the gun also has ambidextrous features, so both right- and left-handed soldiers can use it.
Having used the gun himself, MSG Nazhan said that it shoots with greater accuracy, and he has better control of the weapon.
He added that soldiers have said the gun has low recoil – the backward thrust a soldier experiences when a gun is fired – even when used in the fully automatic mode.
The Colt IAR is made by US-based Colt’s Manufacturing, and evaluated and procured in partnership with the Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA), said the Singapore Armed Forces.
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In evaluating the options for the SAW’s replacement, DSTA considered four factors – operational effectiveness, reliability, maintenance and cost, said Ms Elizabeth Tan, the agency’s programme manager for systems management.
Before the evaluation process, Ms Tan said DSTA had to understand the army’s operational requirements, and had done a market survey of available options. Subsequently, each option was assessed against these four factors.
She said DSTA worked with the army to design a test plan for firing trials, conducted by the agency and the army, to assess the suitability of the various options.
Ms Tan said there was strong competition among all the other weapons submitted for consideration.
Questions on what other weapons were considered, whether the LMG is being built in Singapore, and how many the army had procured, were not answered by the army or DSTA at the briefing.
“I am very honoured to be part of this process,” said Ms Tan in Mandarin. “It is a significant responsibility because it affects the combat effectiveness of the soldiers.”
