ST Kinetics SR-88A
ST Engineering Land Systems (ST Kinetics) · Assault Rifle · Discontinued · 1990
Also known as: SR 88A, CIS SR-88A
Overview
The ST Kinetics SR-88A is a select-fire assault rifle chambered in 5.56x45mm NATO, a modernized development of the original SR-88 produced by ST Engineering Land Systems (ST Kinetics) from 1990. It feeds from 30-round STANAG box magazines and operates on a gas-operated rotating-bolt action with a chrome-lined 460mm barrel. The SR-88A refined the earlier rifle with a lightweight aluminum receiver, a redesigned ventilated handguard, and a fiberglass-reinforced nylon tubular-skeletal shoulder stock that could be supplied in fixed or side-folding form. Luminous night sights and an integral optical-sight mounting interface were added to broaden its combat utility, while the 5.56x45mm chambering delivers a flat trajectory and an effective range of roughly 400 metres against point targets. Cycling at about 750 rounds per minute in automatic fire, the SR-88A served as a transitional service rifle for the Singapore Armed Forces alongside the SAR-80 before the bullpup SAR-21 was adopted. It was offered for export and saw limited foreign service, reflecting Singapore's maturing indigenous small-arms industry.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 3680 g (129.8 oz) |
| Weight (loaded) | 4130 g (145.7 oz) |
| Overall Length | 965 mm (37.99") |
| Folded Length | 746 mm (29.37") |
| Barrel Length | 460 mm (18.11") |
| Action Type | Gas Operated Rotating Bolt |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 30 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 970 m/s (3182 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 1882 J (1388 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 400 m (437 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 500 m (547 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 750 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Rifling Twist | 178 mm (7.01") |
| Number of Grooves | 6 |
| Frame Material | Aluminum |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Polymer |
| Finish | Parkerized |
Calibers
- 5.56x45mm NATO · primary · 5.56mm NATO — also known as 5.56x45mm, 5.56 NATO
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic, Full Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety Selector
- Features: Select Fire, Stanag Magazine Compatible, Gas Piston Operated, Chrome Lined Barrel, Aluminum Receiver, Tubular Skeletal Stock, Optic Mount, Luminous Night Sights, Improved Ergonomics
Variants
- SR-88A Carbine — Compact
Base model
Service history
Operators
- Singapore Armed Forces · adopted 1990 · as SR-88A
- Slovenian Armed Forces · as SR-88A
Production
Production years: 1990-1999
Produced primarily for the Singapore Armed Forces with limited export to Slovenia and others. Exact production figures are not publicly disclosed. Replaced in Singapore service by the SAR-21.
Origin
Country of origin: Singapore
Designer: Chartered Industries of Singapore
Notes
The SR-88A improved on the SR-88 with an aluminum receiver in place of the heavier steel design, a new ventilated handguard, and a fiberglass/nylon tubular-skeletal stock available in fixed or folding configurations. It added luminous night sights and a provision for mounting optical sights. The rifle retained the gas-operated rotating-bolt action and full compatibility with M16-type STANAG magazines. A shorter SR-88A Carbine version was also produced. Both the SR-88A and SAR-80 were phased out of frontline Singapore Armed Forces service following the adoption of the SAR-21 bullpup at the end of the 1990s.
Background
The SR-88A marked the high point of Singapore's conventional assault-rifle development before the country committed to the bullpup SAR-21. Drawing on the AR-18 design lineage that underpinned the SAR-80 and SR-88, Chartered Industries of Singapore refined the platform with lighter materials and improved sighting, positioning the SR-88A as a competitive export rifle for a small but ambitious defence industry.