SAR-80

The Singapore Assault Rifle 80 (SAR 80) is an assault rifle developed in Singapore following the adoption of the AR-15 by the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) in the late 1960s. Difficulties in obtaining rifles from the United States led Singapore to purchase a license to manufacture the M16 rifle domestically, designated the M16S1. However, domestic requirements were insufficient for Chartered Industries of Singapore (CIS) to economically sustain operations at its rifle factory, and export sales of the M16S1 were largely prevented by the requirements of the license agreement. This agreement mandated permission from Colt and the US State Department, which was rarely granted.

In the early 1970s, Sterling Armaments Company engineers had developed a 5.56 mm rifle design, the Light Automatic Rifle (LAR). After acquiring a manufacturing license for the Armalite AR-18, Sterling shelved the LAR and subsequently developed the Sterling Assault Rifle (SAR), based on a refined version of the LAR and fitted with an AR-18 trigger group (as they could not legally sublicense the AR-18). Sterling licensed the SAR design to CIS, which put it into production as the SAR 80. The successor to this weapon is the SR-88.

The design of the SAR 80 is based on a refined version of the Light Automatic Rifle (LAR) developed by Sterling Armaments Company. It is a 5.56 mm caliber rifle and is fitted with an AR-18 trigger group.

Significant deliveries were made to Somalia during the 1980s, with CIS supplying 20,000 units between 1982 and 1983. Many SAR 80s seen subsequently in the Middle East have been heavily modified by various forces fighting in the region.

The SAR 80 has been used by several national militaries and security forces:

• Central African Republic (Central African Gendarmerie)

• Croatia (Croatian Army)

• Papua New Guinea (Papua New Guinea Defence Force)

• Slovenia (Slovenian Army)

Large numbers of SAR 80s were also supplied to Somalia. Other users have included Sri Lanka, and Zaire. Some examples have been used by the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam have been a non-state user.