The SR 88 (Singapore Rifle 88) is an assault rifle designed and manufactured in Singapore by Chartered Industries of Singapore (CIS, now ST Kinetics).[1]
History
Following the poor sales of the SAR 80, and with their involvement with the Sterling SAR-87, CIS came up with an improved design – the new SR 88. Many of the parts and mechanisms are similar to its predecessor. Later production models were further improved with higher quality materials including a new handguard and buttstock, this version was designated the SR 88A.[2]
The SR 88A was built in two versions, the standard model and the latest carbine model which is a heavy-duty mil-spec version with a shorter barrel and a retractable butt-stock popularly called today as the "baby ultimax" because of its overall shorter length and function and frame similarities with the Ultimax 100. Its magazine catch will accept a regular M16 magazine and a C-mag which is also used in M16 rifles.[1]
Design
It uses long-piston-stroke, gas-operated action with a rotating bolt. The gas piston and gas cylinder are chromium-plated. The gas system features a three position gas regulator – two open positions, for normal and harsh conditions, and one closed for launching of rifle grenades.[1]
The barrel is equipped with flash hider, which also serves as a rifle grenade launcher. The lower receiver is an aluminium forging, and the upper receiver is made from stamped steel.[1]
Furniture (stock, pistol grip, handguards) is made from plastic materials. The standard stock is of fixed type, but the SR 88 is also available with a side-folding stock. The side-folding carrying handle is mounted at the forward end of the receiver.[1]
Variants
Users
Bhutan: Royal Bodyguard of Bhutan[3]
Papua New Guinea: Papua New Guinea Defence Force[4] and Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary with the SR88A.[5]
Bougainville: Used by Bougainville Revolutionary Army. Captured from Papua New Guinea Defence Force.[citation needed]
Philippines: Philippine Marine Corps Rifles donated by Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to the PMC.[6]
Singapore: Singapore Armed Forces.[7]
Slovenia: Slovenian Armed Forces.[citation needed]
Solomon Islands
Somalia[9]
Sri Lanka: SR-88A variant used by Sri Lanka Army and Special Task Force
References
- Notes
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 Richard J, 2008.
- ↑ "SR-88A: Singapore's Final Evolution of the AR-18 - Forgotten Weapons". 20 January 2025.
- ↑ "The Royal Guards of Honour take their positions at the TashichhoDzong..." Getty Images. 15 October 2011. Retrieved 20 January 2025.[better source needed]
- 1 2 Capie, David (2004). Under the Gun: The Small Arms Challenge in the Pacific. Wellington: Victoria University Press. pp. 70–71. ISBN 978-0864734532.
- ↑ Capie, David (2004). Under the Gun: The Small Arms Challenge in the Pacific. Wellington: Victoria University Press. p. 65. ISBN 978-0864734532.
- ↑ "BSP donates firearms to PMC". Philippine Marine Corps. 18 September 2023. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
- ↑ "Modern Firearms - Assault Rifles - SR-88". Archived from the original on 14 September 2010. Retrieved 4 April 2012.
- ↑ Alpers, Philip; Muggah, Robert (1 August 2003). "Reconsidering Small Arms in the Solomon Islands - Findings". Policy Briefing.
- ↑ Small Arms Survey (2012). "Surveying the Battlefield: Illicit Arms In Afghanistan, Iraq, and Somalia". Small Arms Survey 2012: Moving Targets. Cambridge University Press. p. 338. ISBN 978-0-521-19714-4. Archived from the original (PDF) on 31 August 2018. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
- Bibliography
- Richard Jones; Andrew White (2008). Jane's Guns Recognition Guide. HarperCollins. pp. 314–315. ISBN 978-0-00-726645-6.
External links
- SR-88A: Singapore's Final Evolution of the AR-18 on YouTube – A 2025 review of the weapon