DI MA-1

Production historyDesignerYisrael Galili of Israel Military Industries^[1][a]Designed1990ManufacturerKa Pa Sa No. 1
Myanmar Fritz Werner Industries^[b]Produced2002–VariantsSee VariantsSpecificationsMass

• 4 kg (9 lb) (No Magazine, Mk. I)
• 4.42 kg (10 lb) (No Magazine, Mk. II)
• 4.66 kg (10 lb) (With Magazine, Mk. I)

Length

• 978 mm (39 in) (Mk. I)
• 1,065 mm (42 in) (Mk. I)
• 508 mm (20 in) (Barrel Length, Mk. II)

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Cartridge5.56×45mm NATOActionGas-operated, rotating boltRate of fire

• 950 rounds/min (Mk. I)
• 600-700 rounds/min (Mk. II)

Muzzle velocity950 m/s (3,120 ft/s)Effective firing range400 m (437 yd)Feed system

• 35-, 50-, or 65-round box magazine (Galil-based)
• 70-round drum magazine (MA-2)
• 10-round magazine (MA-S Mk. I)
• 20-round magazine (MA-S Mk. II)

Sights

• Iron sights
• Scopes (MAS)

References^[3][4][5]

The DI MA-1^[c] is a family of Myanmar-made assault rifles chambered for the 5.56×45mm NATO cartridge, produced by the Myanmar Directorate of Defence Industries. The MA series, which means Myanmar Army,^[7] are based on the IMI Galil with some localised modifications produced with assistance from Israel.^[8]

The MA rifles are primarily used by the Tatmadaw,^[9] although it is also seen with the Myanmar Police Force.^[10]

The series are sometimes erroneously referred to as the EMERK-3.^[2]

History

The Tatmadaw was armed with the BA63 (Burma Army 63), the Myanma-made version of the Heckler & Koch G3A3 battle rifle^[11] made under license agreement with West Germany under the Ka Pa Sa factories in partnership with Fritz Werner Industry Ausrustungen-Gmbh (FRG) and the German Technical Corporation Agency.^[12] However, it was considered too heavy for Myanma soldiers to use since they're heavy, especially when fighting in jungle warfare.^[6]

A team of engineers from IMI reportedly visited Yangon in 1991, helping with preparing the foundation to manufacture the MA-1s.^[13][14] Reports cite Israel's support of Myanmar in developing the MA-1 despite repeated denials by Israeli officials based in Myanmar, Singapore and Thailand.^[8] According to William Ashton, Israel sought Myanmar out in order to gain international allies due to the constant threat of being surrounded by hostile states in the Middle East.^[8]

The MA-series of small arms was first spotted in the early 2000s at numerous national Tatmadaw parades and demonstrations,^[15][14] replacing the previous Heckler & Koch G3 rifles that were in service.^[6]

By 2009, it was reported that the Tatmadaw was almost fully equipped with the MA series.^[6] MA rifles have also been seen usage by the Karen National Liberation Army,^[16] Shan State Army (RCSS)^[6] and the Ta'ang National Liberation Army,^[17] captured from Tatmadaw forces^[16] or from defecting soldiers.^[18]

From 2014, the Mk II variant is being used by the Tatmadaw as their standard rifle.^[19]

In 2022, MA-1 and MA-3s are used by the PDF in the civil war, captured from Myanma soldiers and police officers.^[10] The Karenni Army has also used MA-1s taken from Myanma soldiers.^[20]

Design

Serial production started in 2002 after signing an agreement with IMI.^[6] The assault rifles were mostly made at Ka Pa Sa No 1 or DI-1,^[7] a factory located near Inya Lake that serves as the main factory.^[6][21] Ka Pa Sa No 22 was reportedly identified by the Special Advisory Council-Myanmar (SAC-M) as another location where the MA rifles are being made.^[13]

The MA-1 rifles are made with ventilated handguards and horizontal charging handles, unlike the Galil which has a vertical charging handle.^[2] Early models have curved cheekpieces in the buttstocks with later models omitting this.^[22] MA rifles are compatible with Galil magazines,^[2] although they can use polymer magazines.^[22]

An indicator for a MA rifle that is optimized to fire rifle grenades is through the use of taller iron sights.^[22] The rifles can use the MG-2 rifle grenade.^[5]

In an interview back in 2009 with Sai Sheng Murng, the deputy spokesman of the Shan State Army (RCSS), he mentioned that foreign-made 5.56 NATO ammo cannot be used in the MA rifles while Myanma-mad ammo can work with foreign assault rifles chambered in thes same caliber.^[6]

The selectors consist of safe, semi-auto and full-auto mode.^[23]

Variants

MA-1

Standard assault rifle with a bayonet lug for the option to have a bayonet mounted.^[2] It's reported by convicted porters under the Tatmadaw that Myanma soldier would write the battalion number on its stock.^[24]

The MA-1 rifles were introduced with wooden handguards before initial models were made with brown polymer furniture and rounded, smooth pistol grips.^[23]

Later versions were produced with black furniture and clear cut Galil grips, designated as the Mk II.^[23][25] It also uses synthetic alloys in its construction.^[19]

The bipod was not made standard with the MA-1s with the cleaning kit stored in a hollow space in the buttstock.^[26] The MA-1s are not equipped with a pistol grip-type safety system.^[27]

MA-2

Light machine gun version with a heavy barrel and a bipod mounted.^[28] It was originally developed without the idea of using a drum magazine, relying on standard capacity magazines,^[29] but it can be used with drum magazines.^[5]

The handguard has two rows of ventilation holes that are parallel to the barrel.^[27] It has a carry handle, long/heavy barrel and bipod.^[23]

The bipods use are thin-based for Mk. I versions, but the Mk. II versions are seen with bipods that are cloned from those used for the M60 GPMG.^[5]

MA-3

Carbine version with a folding metal buttstock.^[30] The stock is rarely used due to great difficulty in moving it^[27] and to fully depress the lock in order to unfold it.^[23] Early models were badly made due to the materials used in its manufacture before they were fully resolved through the Mk II variant.^[31]

MA-4

A version of the MA-1 equipped with an underbarrel grenade launcher (UBGL),^[30] known as the BA-203.^[32] It is an unlicensed clone of the M203.^[33]

The UBGL is permanently fixed, which cannot be removed.^[34]

Mk II

The Mk. II variant saw the use of polymer, brown or black, to replace the wooden stock of the Mk. I.^[5] It was also often equipped with polymer stocks, pistol grips, and fore-ends as standard issue.^[23] The new Mk II magazine is based on the South African polymer Vektor R4 magazine.^[22] The variants were introduced at the 2019 Defense and Security exhibition in Bangkok, Thailand, which was visited by Min Aung Hlaing.^[35]

By the Myanmar Civil War of 2021, all Mk.I variants were replaced by the Mk. II.

MA-S

Known as Myanmar Army Sniper, a designated marksman rifle variant based on the MA-2.^[36] It's chambered in 7.62x51 NATO caliber and fires from a 10-round magazine.^[36] There are reports indicating that production may have started as early as 2011 to 2012.^[37]

It has a total weight of 5.3 kg, a total length of 1140 mm and a barrel length of 620 mm.^[36] The rifle has a muzzle velocity of 852 m/s and an effective range of 1000 meters.^[36]

The MA-S consist of a Mk. I and Mk. II version. The Mk. I resembles a Dragunov that can take 10-round magazines^[5][36] with a PSO-1 scope.^[38] The Mk. II resembles Zastava-based rifles that can take 20-round magazines.^[5]

The Mk. II has a picatinny rail under the gas block to install a bipod.^[5] It comes in two colors; green or black furniture.^[5] A version of the Mk. II in a camo finish was on display at the 2019 Defence and Security arms fair.^[5]

There is a MA-S variant made for Tatmadaw soldiers participating in overseas shooting competitions such as the ASEAN Armies Rifle Meet.^[39]

Users

•  Myanmar: Widely used by the Tatmadaw and the Myanmar Police.

Non-State Actors

• Karen National Liberation Army
• Karenni Army
• People's Defence Force (Myanmar)
• Shan State Army (RCSS)
• Ta'ang National Liberation Army

Notes

References

Bibliography

• Johnson, Gary Paul; Nelson, Thomas B. (2016-12-15). The World's Assault Rifles. Ironside International Publishers. ISBN 9781619846012.
• Roodhorst, Cor (2015). The Kalashnikov Encyclopedia: Recognition and Weapon Forensic Guide for Kalashnikov Arms and Derivatives II: Italy–Russia. Netherlands: Roodhorst Publications. ISBN 978-90-9027549-9.