Basically, the SAR-80 design was deemed obsolete in the international market, given the technological developments of the industry.
To start, you must separate the weapon maker (CIS, now known as ST Kinetics) from the supposed buyer (SAF). CIS began as an authorized armament manufacturer, producing M-16s for our army & also for export. It then lost the licence to continue the latter, & attempted to develop its own rifle modelled after the rival AR-18 rifle.
The AR-18 rifle was supposed to compete with the M-16 back in the '60s (when both sought to succeed the M-14). The M-16 proved more popular, but - wisely or not - the then-fledging CIS chose to hire foreign AR-18 engineers for what turned out to be the SAR-80.
They finalized the prototype around the time I enlisted in the mid-'80s - I think I saw it on display during the Army Open House then. The SAF bought some, but apparently never distributed it to the line units. They then passed on ordering CIS's attempt at an improved AR-18 model (the SR88A), in favor of the Ultimax 100 (as the new SAW for the army).
Even as CIS moved on to develop the SAR-21, it doesn't mean the SAR-80 or SR88A have disappeared. Since they're known as "cheap AR-18's", they are making the rounds among mercenaries.
SerialBox
so m16s1 or SAR 80 which 1 is better?
SerialBox
is SAR 80 shorter and more accurate than m16s1?
zanshin
SAR80 is actually in use when i was in NS, around 1997. It was issued to personal in the GSMB. They go for their annual range using the SAr80 and most say that its very accurate but they dun have niteshoot as there is no promethium tip........trained to service and repair it as a gunfitter.......it is heavier then the M16. i am not sure weather it is still in service....pple from GSMB will know.
Moxie
There's a Pointer magazine article, published in mindef.gov.sg, stating that the SAF "accepted" 20,000 of the SAF-80 rifle. That's enough to arm probably 18 operational units - at least - & somehow I don't see them to have dumped the entire arsenal wholescale.
I'll sum it up thus (for SerialBox): >> The M16 is a 1G weapon which has stood the test of time, but the only thing you can accessorize it is with the underbarrel grenade launcher to make it a M203.
>> The SAR-80 was very much a remodelled 1G weapon (based on the AR-18 ) for an ambitious 2G army. CIS got it right with the Ultimax 100, albeit a different type of assault rifle.
>> The SAR-21 appears to be a perfect marriage for the 3G army, & the way DSTA is experimenting with sights & sensors & cameras for it is very innovating. I still have some doubts over its all-weather/terrain robustness, but that's no industry fallout so far.
I wished I had fired with the latter at AOH '04 but, from the 10-15 minutes I handled it at the static display booth, it really felt like a very sexy weapon.
SerialBox
thx Moxie for the info i appriciate it
hunter
I used SAR 80 during my NS days too back in early 90s. From what I understand fm the seniors, SAR 80 were only issued to non combat units like log units such as Ammo base etc.
With regards to the accuracy and handling of SAR 80, I was bobo shooter (kena kicked and fxxked right fm the 1st range till last range) in BMT but became marksman in unit using SAR 80 (ROD shoot) . And I was not alone back then. A good plenty of bobo shooters earned the badge.
SingaporeTyrannosaur
You can see that rifle being used in the Singaporean "war" "movie" On Guard at the discover center... the no-morale, completely beaten OPFOR were using it...
Yeah, and some SAR 80s were used by the Somalis during the Black Hawk Down incident, if I remember reading about it somewhere correctly...