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DI MA-1
2002 assault rifle made in Myanmar From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The DI MA-1[c] is a family of Myanmar-made assault rifles chambered for 5.56×45mm NATO, produced by the Myanmar Directorate of Defence Industries.
The MA designation on the weapon means Myanmar Army.[8] The series are sometimes erroneously referred to as the EMERK-3.[2]
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History
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The Tatmadaw was armed with the BA63 (Burma Army 63), the Myanma-made version of the Heckler & Koch G3A3 battle rifle[9] made under license agreement with West Germany under the Ka Pa Sa factories in partnership with Fritz Werner Industry Ausrustungen-Gmbh (FRG) and the German Technical Corporation Agency.[10] However, it was considered too heavy for Myanma soldiers to use in jungle warfare.[7]
A team of engineers from IMI reportedly visited Yangon in 1991, helping with preparing the foundation to manufacture the MA-1s.[11][12] Reports cite Israel's support of Myanmar in developing the MA-1 despite repeated denials by Israeli officials based in Myanmar, Singapore and Thailand.[13]
According to William Ashton, Israel sought Myanmar out in order to gain international allies due to the constant threat of being surrounded by hostile states in the Middle East.[13]
Operational Use
The MA-series was first spotted in the early 2000s at numerous Tatmadaw Armed Forces Day parades and demonstrations,[14][12] replacing the previous Heckler & Koch G3 rifles that were in service.[7]
By 2009, it was reported that the Tatmadaw was almost fully equipped with the MA series.[7] From 2014, the Mk II variant is being used by the Tatmadaw as their standard rifle.[15] Plans were made to fully adopt the DI MA-1 Mk. III, but plans are halted due to quality issues.[16]
In May 2023, MA-1 and MA-3s are used by the PDF in the civil war, captured from Myanma soldiers and police officers.[17]
MA rifles have also been seen usage by the insurgent groups, captured from Tatmadaw forces[18] or from defecting soldiers.[19]
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Design
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The DI MA-1 series are based on the IMI Galil with some localised modifications produced with assistance from Israel.[13]
Serial production started in 2002 after signing an agreement with IMI.[7] The assault rifles were mostly made at Ka Pa Sa No 1 or DI-1,[8] a factory located near Inya Lake that serves as the main factory.[7][20]
The MA-1 rifles are made with ventilated handguards and horizontal charging handles, unlike the Galil which has a vertical charging handle.[2] Early models (Mk. I) have curved cheekpieces in the buttstocks with later models (Mk. II) omitting this.[21] MA rifles are compatible with Galil magazines,[2] although they can use polymer magazines.[21]
Any MA rifle can use a clone of the Type 81 bayonet if a bayonet lug is present.
They were initially introduced with wooden handguards; early models were made with brown polymer furniture and rounded, smooth pistol grips.[22] Later versions were produced with black furniture and clear cut Galil grips, designated as the Mk II.[23] It also uses synthetic alloys and plastics in its construction.[15]
An indicator for a MA rifle that is optimized to fire rifle grenades is the presence of tall iron sights.[21] The rifles can use the MG-2 rifle grenade.[24]
The selectors consist of safe, semi-auto and full-auto mode.[22]
In an interview back in 2009 with Sai Sheng Murng, the deputy spokesman of the Shan State Army (RCSS), he mentioned that foreign-made 5.56 NATO ammo cannot be used in the MA rifles while Myanma-made ammo can work with foreign assault rifles chambered in the same caliber.[7]
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Variants
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MA-1
Standard assault rifle with a bayonet lug for the option to have a bayonet mounted.[2] The bipod was not made standard with the MA-1s with the cleaning kit stored in a hollow space in the buttstock. The MA-1s are not equipped with a pistol grip-type safety system.[25]
It's reported by convicted porters under the Tatmadaw that Myanma soldiers would write the battalion number on its stock.[26]
MA-2
Light machine gun version with a heavy barrel and a bipod mounted.[27]
It was originally developed without the idea of using a drum magazine, relying on standard capacity magazines,[28] but it can be used with drum magazines.[5]
The handguard has two rows of ventilation holes that are parallel to the barrel.[25] It has a carry handle, long/heavy barrel and bipod.[22] The bipods used are thin-based for Mk. I versions, but the Mk. II versions are seen with bipods that are cloned from those used for the M60 GPMG.[5]
MA-3
Carbine version with a folding metal buttstock.[29] The stock is rarely used due to great difficulty in moving it[25] and to fully depress the lock in order to unfold it.[22]
Early models were badly made due to the materials used in its manufacture before they were fully resolved through the Mk II variant.
MA-4
A version of the MA-1 equipped with an underbarrel grenade launcher (UBGL),[29] known as the BA203 (Burma Army 203).[5]
It is an unlicensed clone of the MKEK T-40.[30][d] The UBGL is permanently fixed, which cannot be removed.
MA-S
Known as Myanmar Army Sniper, a designated marksman rifle variant based on the MA-2.[32]
It's chambered in 7.62x51 NATO caliber and fires from a 10-round magazine.[32] There are reports indicating that production may have started as early as 2011 to 2012.[33] It has a total weight of 5.3 kg, a total length of 1140 mm and a barrel length of 620 mm.[32] The rifle has a muzzle velocity of 852 m/s and an effective range of 1000 meters.[32]
The MA-S consist of a Mk. I and Mk. II version. The Mk. I resembles a Dragunov that can take 10-round magazines[5][32] with a PSO-1 scope.[34]
The Mk. II resembles Zastava-based rifles that can take 20-round magazines.[5] It has a picatinny rail under the gas block to install a bipod.[5] It comes in two colors; green or black furniture.[5] A version of the Mk. II in a camo finish was on display at the 2019 Defence and Security arms fair.[5]
There is a MA-S variant made for Tatmadaw soldiers participating in overseas shooting competitions such as the ASEAN Armies Rifle Meet.[35]
Mk. II
Pre-2019
The Mk. II variant saw the use of polymer to replace the black stock of the Mk. I.[5]
It was also often equipped with polymer stocks, pistol grips, and fore-ends as standard issue.[22]
Post-2019
The newer Mk II variants were shown overseas at the 2019 Defense and Security exhibition in Bangkok, Thailand, which was visited by Min Aung Hlaing.[36]
This variant was publicly shown in 2022 with the Tatmadaw with a telescopic stock and picatinny rail on the upper receiver.[4] It was supposed to be shown in public in 2020, but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[4]
The new Mk II magazine is based on the South African polymer Vektor R4 magazine.[21] The black moulds used in the newer Mk II variants were allegedly based on moulding materials provided by CAA Industries.[37]
By the Myanmar Civil War of 2021, all Mk. I variants were replaced by the Mk. II.
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Notes
References
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