DI MA-1 Mk. III

2012 Bullpup assault rifle made in Myanmar
  • Bullpup Assault rifle (MA-1 Mk. III)
  • Bullpup Light machine gun (MA-2 Mk. III)
  • Bullpup Carbine (MA-3 Mk. III)
Place of originMyanmarService historyIn service2012-PresentUsed byMyanmarWarsMyanmar civil warProduction historyDesignerDuo Yingxian[1][a]ManufacturerMyanmar Directorate of Defence IndustriesProduced2012-PresentVariantsSee VariantsSpecificationsMass3.4 kg (7.5 lb)Length740 mm (29 in)Barrel length123 mm (4.8 in)
Cartridge5.56×45mm NATOCartridge weightShort-stroke piston, rotating boltRate of fire650 rounds/minMuzzle velocity930 m/s (3,100 ft/s)Effective firing range400 m (440 yd)Feed system30-round magazineSights
  • Hooded post front sight and aperture rear sight (Standard)
  • Y/MA 95-002 telescopic sight (Optional)
References[2]

The DI MA-1 Mk. III is a family of bullpup assault rifles made by the Myanmar Directorate of Defence Industries, chambered for 5.56×45mm NATO, based on the QBZ-97s that were exported to Myanmar in 2009.[3][4] The MA-1 Mk. IIIs were made without any licensing agreements with China, and Myanmar claimed that they were made without foreign assistance.[5][6]

The DI designation on the weapon refers to Defence Industry (of the Myanmar Directorate of Defence Industries),[7] while the MA designation means Myanmar Army.[8]

History

Myanmar decided to redesign a bullpup rifle after Tatmadaw troops reported multiple failures with the EMER-K1, an earlier bullpup rifle clone of the QBZ-97, ranging from gun jams to stoppages.[9] At the time, some of them were issued to Tatmadaw forces on patrol duties at the Yadana gas field in 1998.[10][9] Myanmar originally wanted to acquire QBZ-97s and eventually set up a production line to manufacture them on their own, but China refused to honor them due to arms sanctions against the State Peace and Development Council.[9][3] Subsequently, the QBZ-97s previously sold to Myanmar were not returned.[1]

The QBZ-97 rifles with Myanmar were reverse engineered again; they did not seek Chinese assistance in creating the MA-1 Mk. IIIs.[6][5] During analysis of the rifles in 2009,[4] they were reported to be suitable for the Tatmadaw in jungle operations.[11]

The MA-1 Mk. IIIs were first shown in public in 2012.[12] They were subsequently shown at various Tatmadaw Armed Forces Day parades.[13]

Plans were made to fully adopt the MA-1 Mk. III by 2016, but it was delayed due to quality issues.[11] At the time, it was reported that the MA-1 Mk. IIIs had poor reliability in the field.[14] Chinese media criticized Myanmar for cloning the QBZ-97 without permission after the rifle was publicly revealed.[15]

In 2020, Myanma social media photos showed an improved version of the MA-3 Mk. III, implying that production issues were mostly resolved.[16]

Design

According to the Special Advisory Council for Myanmar (SAC-M), the rifle family is reportedly being manufactured at DDI's KaPaSa 22 factory.[7]

While the MA-1 Mk. III has visual similarities with the QBZ-97, the difference lies with the use of phenolic plastic materials instead of engineered plastics, which gives off the brown finish.[5][17] Another difference is the shape of the handguard and the vent holes on it.[18]

The MA-1 Mk. IIIs do not use the same Type 95 bayonet made for the QBZ-95.[19][20] Instead, the Tatmadaw uses a clone of the Type 81 bayonet for the rifles.[5] Only the MA-1/3 Mk. III have bayonet lugs installed as a default option.[11]

There were unconfirmed reports that Myanmar sought the assistance of Singaporean defense companies in order to improve on the manufacture of the MA-1 Mk. III[17] by secretly acquiring machinery for the factories.[14] This supposedly resulted in the improvement of using engineered plastics and the rifle's design.[17] For the MA-3 Mk. III, some of the more recently made carbines have carry handles that have a more rectangular shape, more ergonomic front hanguard and vent holes, making it resemble the QBZ-97.[21]

Variants

MA-1 Mk. III

The standard assault rifle variant based on the QBZ-97.[22]

MA-2 Mk. III

The light machine gun variant with a long barrel and a bipod.[23]

MA-3 Mk. III

A carbine variant.[24] Known to be used by Myanma special forces units.[25]

MA-4 Mk. III

A variant of the MA-1 Mk. III equipped with an underbarrel grenade launcher.[26] It is also known to be used by Myanmar special forces units.[25]

Users

  •  Myanmar: Used by the Tatmadaw.[24] This includes the Myanmar Navy SEALs.[27]

Notes

  1. ^ Minor adaptions were made to the original Chinese design.

References

  1. ^ a b "China's Next Generation Bullpup: Type 95". 29 November 2017. Archived from the original on 2018-08-03. Retrieved 2018-08-03.
  2. ^ "MA-1 Mk.3". Military Today. Archived from the original on 2023-11-18. Retrieved 2024-06-22.
  3. ^ a b "菲军警接装中国97式步枪 逐渐取代美制枪械" (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 2018-07-30. Retrieved 2018-07-30.
  4. ^ a b "China Exports Its Radical New Assault Rifle". Strategy Page. 17 May 2016. Archived from the original on 23 June 2012. Retrieved 2010-03-11.
  5. ^ a b c d "内容正在升级改造，请稍后再试！-新闻频道-和讯网" (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 2018-08-03. Retrieved 2018-08-03.
  6. ^ a b "这个国家的主战步枪和中国95式步枪极似，却是自主研发的新型步枪_军事频道_东方头条" (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 2018-08-03. Retrieved 2018-08-03.
  7. ^ a b ""Made in Myanmar": Mapping the Military's In-Country Weapon Production". Special Advisory Council for Myanmar. 14 January 2023.
  8. ^ "Toys for the Boys". Asia Pacific Solidarity Network. Archived from the original on 2016-06-23. Retrieved 2018-07-26.
  9. ^ a b c Johnson & Nelson (2016), p. 218.
  10. ^ "Burma Making Small Arms". The Irrawaddy. August 1998. Archived from the original on 2016-03-14. Retrieved 2018-08-07.
  11. ^ a b c "無托步槍真香？緬甸山寨97式大批量裝備部隊，亞洲兩國幫了大忙" (in Chinese). 2020-10-22.
  12. ^ "缅甸特种兵用上中国95步枪？难道95开始出口了？｜轻武专栏" (in Chinese). 2021-07-09.
  13. ^ "缅甸仿制中国97式自动步枪亮相独立日阅兵式" (in Chinese). 2015-01-16.
  14. ^ a b "這國特種兵好像解放軍啊！真相原來如此" (in Chinese). 2016-10-08.
  15. ^ ""Trùm" đạo nhái vũ khí Trung Quốc tố cáo Myanmar sao chép súng QBZ-97" (in Vietnamese). 2020-10-26. Archived from the original on 2020-12-01.
  16. ^ "无托步枪真香？缅甸山寨97式大批量装备部队，亚洲两国帮了大忙" (in Chinese). 2020-10-22.
  17. ^ a b c "中国无托步枪被"山寨"了，未获得中国授权，缅甸山寨97式步枪" (in Chinese). 2020-10-24.
  18. ^ "这不是97式 缅甸自制无托步枪的发展-北京时间". Archived from the original on 2018-07-30. Retrieved 2018-07-30.
  19. ^ "Type 95 ARMY BAYONET". Archived from the original on 2018-07-13. Retrieved 2018-08-06.
  20. ^ Ralph E. Cobb (2010). "Bayonets of China". Archived from the original on 2018-08-03. Retrieved 2018-08-06.
  21. ^ "Myanmar Small Arms and Light Weapons Identification Guide" (PDF). Centre for Information Resilence. p. 32.
  22. ^ "Myanmar Small Arms and Light Weapons Identification Guide" (PDF). Centre for Information Resilence. p. 25.
  23. ^ "Myanmar Small Arms and Light Weapons Identification Guide" (PDF). Centre for Information Resilence. p. 28.
  24. ^ a b "这3个国家都在山寨中国枪 还把81式改成榴弹发射枪" (in Chinese). Sina. 2020-10-16.
  25. ^ a b "这不是97式 缅甸自制无托步枪的发展-北京时间". Archived from the original on 2018-07-30. Retrieved 2018-07-30.
  26. ^ "Myanmar Small Arms and Light Weapons Identification Guide" (PDF). Centre for Information Resilence. p. 36.
  27. ^ "缅甸仿制中国97步枪配美国枪榴弹，那为啥95很少用榴弹？" (in Chinese). Sohu. 2019-01-08.

Bibliography

  • Johnson, Gary Paul; Nelson, Thomas B. (2016-12-15). The World's Assault Rifles. Ironside International Publishers. ISBN 9781619846012.
  • v
  • t
  • e
Rifles
CarbinesMachine gunsSubmachine gunsHandguns
Sniper riflesAnti-materiel riflesShotgunsOther