IWI Tavor X95
Israel Weapon Industries · Assault Rifle · In Production · 2009
Also known as: X95, Micro-Tavor, MTAR-21, MTAR, Tavor-2, Fort-224, Zittara
Overview
The IWI Tavor X95 is an Israeli bullpup assault rifle chambered primarily in 5.56x45mm NATO and produced by Israel Weapon Industries since 2009. Originally fielded as the Micro-Tavor (MTAR-21) and formally renamed Tavor X95 around 2013, the rifle is the current standard-issue service weapon of the Israel Defense Forces, having replaced the M4A1 carbine across the majority of infantry units. The X95 refines the original Tavor TAR-21 by relocating the magazine release to an AR-style position forward of the grip, adding a forward-mounted charging handle, and redesigning the handguard to accept Picatinny rails and vertical foregrips. The bullpup configuration places the action behind the trigger group, allowing the 330mm (13-inch) barrel to deliver M16A4-equivalent muzzle velocity in a package just 585mm long - roughly 150mm shorter than a full-size M16 and small enough for the armored-vehicle crews who drove the original Micro-Tavor requirement. Fully ambidextrous in operation, the rifle uses a long-stroke gas piston driving a rotating bolt, feeds from standard STANAG/AR-15 pattern magazines, and converts between 5.56x45mm NATO, 5.45x39mm, 9x19mm Parabellum, and .300 AAC Blackout using dedicated conversion kits. Available in military select-fire and civilian semi-automatic configurations, the X95 is fielded by over a dozen militaries and law enforcement agencies worldwide.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 3300 g (116.4 oz) |
| Weight (loaded) | 3780 g (133.3 oz) |
| Overall Length | 585 mm (23.03") |
| Barrel Length | 330 mm (12.99") |
| Height | 240 mm (9.45") |
| Width | 70 mm (2.76") |
| Action Type | Gas Operated Long Stroke |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Trigger Pull | 24 N (5.4 lbf) |
| Magazine Capacity | 30 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 910 m/s (2986 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 1700 J (1254 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 500 m (547 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 2500 m (2734 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 750 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Rifling Twist | 178 mm (7.01") |
| Number of Grooves | 6 |
| Frame Material | Polymer |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Polymer |
| Finish | Matte Black |
Calibers
- 5.56x45mm NATO · primary · SS109 / M855 — also known as 5.56 NATO, .223 Remington compatible
- 5.45x39mm — also known as 5.45 Soviet
- 9x19mm Parabellum · 9mm NATO — also known as 9mm Luger, 9x19mm
- .300 AAC Blackout — also known as .300 BLK, 7.62x35mm
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic, Full Automatic
- Feed systems: Stanag Magazine, Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Ambidextrous Safety Selector, Firing Pin Block
- Features: Bullpup Configuration, Long Stroke Gas Piston, Rotating Bolt, Select Fire, Modular Caliber Conversion, Fully Ambidextrous, Ambidextrous Magazine Release, Forward Charging Handle, Chrome Lined Bore, Chrome Lined Chamber, Cold Hammer Forged Barrel, Picatinny Rail System, Full Length Top Rail, Modular Handguard, Drop In Trigger Group, Tool Less Field Strip, Tritium Front Sight, Folding Iron Sights, Qd Sling Points, Stanag Magazine Compatible, Suppressor Compatible, Grenade Launcher Compatible
Variants
- IWI MTAR-21 (Micro-Tavor) — Base Model
- Tavor X95 Standard — Standard
- Tavor X95 Sharpshooter — Long Barrel
- Tavor X95 SBR — Short Barrel
- Tavor X95-S — Integrally Suppressed
- IWI X95 9mm — Pistol Caliber
- IWI X95R (5.45x39mm) — Caliber Variant
- IWI X95 .300 Blackout — Caliber Variant
- Fort-224 (Ukrainian Production) — Licensed Production
- IWI Zittara (Indian Production) — Licensed Production
Service history
Operators
- Israel Defense Forces · adopted 2009 · as X95 / Micro-Tavor
- Brazilian Army Special Forces · as Tavor X95
- Colombian Army · as Tavor X95
- Guatemalan Special Forces · as Tavor X95
- Ukrainian Special Forces · as Fort-224 / X95
- Indian Border Security Force · as Tavor X95
- India Central Reserve Police Force · adopted 2011 · as Zittara
- Azerbaijani Armed Forces · as X95
- Angolan Armed Forces · as X95
- Cypriot Special Forces · as X95
- Georgian Security Services · as X95
- Honduran Army · as X95
- Morocco General Directorate for National Security · as X95
- Thai Armed Forces · as Tavor
Conflicts
- 2014 Gaza War (Operation Protective Edge) (2014)
- Israel-Hamas War (2023-present)
- Russo-Ukrainian War (2022-present)
- Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (ongoing)
Production
Production years: 2009-present
Exact production numbers undisclosed by IWI. Standard issue to approximately 80% of IDF infantry units. Licensed production in Ukraine (Fort-224) and India (Zittara). Civilian semi-automatic variant sold in the US market since 2015.
Origin
Country of origin: Israel
Designer: Israel Military Industries / IWI engineering team
Notes
The X95 supersedes the original MTAR-21 designation. Key ergonomic changes from the TAR-21 include a forward charging handle, AR-style magazine release, shortened handguard with accessory rails, and a self-contained drop-in trigger group that can be changed without tools. The civilian US-market semi-automatic variant launched in 2015 with 16.5-inch (419mm) and 18.5-inch (470mm) barrel options for NFA compliance. The Fort-224 is a Ukrainian-licensed copy produced by RPC Fort; the Zittara was produced in India for the CRPF. The IWI GL 40 underbarrel grenade launcher mounts to the lower handguard rail for 40mm grenade capability. Approximately 80% of IDF infantry units are issued the X95 as their primary service rifle.
Background
When the IDF fielded the X95 in 2009, Israel became one of the first major militaries on Earth to fully commit to a bullpup as its standard service rifle - a bet most Western armies refused to make. The trick was geometric: by moving the action behind the trigger, IWI squeezed an M16A4-equivalent 330mm barrel into a weapon shorter than an MP5 with its stock extended, which mattered enormously to the tank and APC crews who had originally demanded the even more compact Micro-Tavor. Today roughly four out of five IDF infantry soldiers carry one, and the rifle has been photographed on every rooftop and tunnel entrance of Israel's recent wars.