Singapore selects Colt's IAR as new section automatic weapon

Singapore has selected the Colt Infantry Automatic Rifle 6940, an example of which is pictured above, as the army's new section automatic weapon, replacing the Ultimax 100 Mk2 in service. (Janes/Patrick Allen)

The Singapore Army has selected American firearms manufacturer Colt's Infantry Automatic Rifle 6940 (IAR6940) as the new section automatic weapon (SAW) to replace in-service ST Engineering's 5.56 mm Ultimax 100 Mk2 light machine gun (LMG).

“As part of continued force modernisation efforts, our army has conducted extensive trials and evaluations of various weapon models. The Colt IAR6940 has been assessed to be a suitable replacement for the SAW,” the Singapore Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) told Janes.

At the time of publication, the MINDEF had not replied to Janes request for comment about the number of rifles to be procured, the budget, and the timeline for induction into the army.

Janes learnt that Colt's IAR was competing with Heckler & Koch's M27 5.56 mm IAR for the Singapore Army's new SAW selection programme.

According to Janes Weapons: Infantry, the Colt IAR is an LMG based on the M16 Rifle/M4 Carbine family. It has been designed to provide sustained fully automatic fire. It was based on the company's previously developed Colt Automatic Rifle (CAR), but is lighter with a shorter barrel and a higher rate of fire.

The Colt IAR is a 5.56 mm‐calibre, gas‐operated, air‐cooled, magazine‐fed, selective‐fire weapon that is designed to provide extended periods of fully automatic fire.

The 406 mm long internally chrome‐plated barrel is chambered for the 5.56×45 mm round, its rifling profile six‐groove with a right‐hand twist rate of one turn in 178 mm.