I try my hand at firing the Singapore Army’s new light machine gun - here's how it went

Despite having ample experience shooting foam dart blasters and airsoft guns, I have never fired a real gun before.

I finally got to do so on Wednesday (July 17), when the media were given the opportunity to try the Singapore Army's new light machine gun (LMG) at the Multi Mission Range Complex (MMRC) in Pasir Laba Camp.

The LMG, called the Colt Infantry Automatic Rifle (IAR), has been progressively rolled out since April and replaces the section automatic weapon (SAW) Ultimax 100, which has been in service since 1982.

All active units in the army will be equipped with and progressively trained on operating the LMG by end-July, said the Ministry of Defence.

Before we could pull the trigger, we were briefed on how to operate the LMG by Master Sergeant Mohd Nazhan Alkamah.

The 26-year-old senior trainer of the small-arms wing at the Infantry Training Institute highlighted that the gun had three modes: safety, semi-automatic and automatic.

I was shown how to switch between the modes using the ambidextrous fire controls, which allow both left- and right-handed soldiers to operate the gun with greater ease.

At the 100m shooting range in the MMRC, we stood in the "foxhole", where we were visible only from the chest up.

I fired the Colt IAR four times – five rounds on semi-automatic mode and 15 rounds on automatic mode under daylight conditions – and repeated the process under night conditions.

Shooting the weapon proved less challenging than I expected as it was propped up on an adjustable bipod, which comes attached to the gun, and I was able to rest my elbows on the ground to brace against the recoil.

Each person firing the Colt IAR also had an assistant to help reload, guide us through the experience and adjust the gun for a more personalised fit.

I would say I'm vertically challenged, but I was able to shorten the bipod as well as the retractable buttstock (the part of the gun that presses against the shoulder) to align the LMG with my line of sight.

I was also able to move the adjustable foregrip (a handle at the front of the gun to keep it steady) closer to me for better stability.

This made the shooting experience more comfortable despite my smaller stature, though my shoulder did still feel a little sore afterwards.

Aiming at the targets was also made easier with the Colt IAR's new red dot sighting system paired with a 3x magnifier scope, both of which are not present in the Ultimax 100. 

I hit all five targets during the semi-automatic rounds, under both day and night settings, with relative ease.

The fully automatic rounds, however, proved difficult as the recoil was much stronger than I expected, causing me to become unsteady and spray the bullets everywhere except on the target.

According to Nazhan, however, soldiers have given feedback that the Colt IAR had a reduced recoil compared to previous weapons.

After an embarrassing performance in the first automatic round, I did slightly better in the second, thanks to the officer assisting me, who suggested that I lean forward.

Ultimax 100 replaced due to evolving needs

The new LMG has been described as a more reliable, accurate and ergonomic weapon.

Among the notable features of the Colt IAR are the multi-purpose laser aiming device, which comes with both visible and infra-red lasers and torchlights for different lighting conditions, as well as a Picatinny rail, a mounting platform, to allow for accessories to be added.

The rifle also has an improved effective range of 600m, compared to the Ultimax 100’s 460m.

Speaking to the media, Lieutenant-Colonel Chan Wen Kai, head of plans at HQ Singapore 9th Division/Infantry, explained that the switch to the Colt IAR is part of the Army's efforts to modernise and renew their equipment to meet evolving operational needs.

"Over the years, regular evaluations found that the SAW met our operational requirements. [But], with the emergence of new threats, it was timely for the SAW to be replaced and future-proofed," he said.

The Colt IAR was evaluated and procured in partnership with the Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) through a process which started back in 2021, said Elizabeth Tan, the agency's programme manager for systems management.

She noted that DSTA considered four factors during their evaluation - operational effectiveness, reliability, maintenance and cost.

The agency also conducted trials to identify accessories to better suit and enhance solders' capability as well as safety reviews and acceptance testing for the Colt IAR, she added.

ALSO READ: Singapore Army replaces SAW Ultimax 100 with new light machine gun

bhavya.rawat@asiaone.com