Engineering:CAR 816

Short description: Assault rifle

Caliber 5.56 mm, CAR 816
CAR 816 assault rifle with mounted aiming optic and vertical forward grip
Type	Assault rifle Carbine Personal defense weapon
Place of origin	United Arab Emirates
Service history
In service	2014–present
Used by	See Users below
Wars	Saudi-led intervention in Yemen
Production history
Manufacturer	Caracal International
Produced	2014–present
Specifications
Mass	3.4 kg (7.50 lb) 406 mm barrel 3.3 kg (7.3 lb) 368 mm barrel 3.05 kg (6.7 lb) 267 mm barrel 2.92 kg (6.4 lb) 191 mm barrel
Length	925–840 mm (36.42–33.07 in) 406 mm barrel 887–802 mm (34.9–31.6 in) 368 mm barrel 778–694 mm (30.6–27.3 in) 267 mm barrel 709–627 mm (27.9–24.7 in) 191 mm barrel
Barrel length	406 mm (16.0 in) 368 mm (14.5 in) 267 mm (10.5 in) 191 mm (7.5 in)
Cartridge	5.56×45mm NATO
Calibre	5.56 mm (.223 in)
Barrels	1
Action	Short-stroke piston, rotating bolt
Rate of fire	750-950 rounds/minute
Muzzle velocity	850 m/s (2,789 ft/s) 406 mm barrel
Effective firing range	500 m (550 yd)
Feed system	30-round detachable STANAG magazine
Sights	Iron sights or various optics
References

The CAR 816, also called Caracal Sultan or simply Sultan, is a 5.56×45mm NATO, gas-operated, magazine-fed assault rifle that is produced by Caracal International in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The rifle is also called Sultan in memory of the Emirati Colonel Sultan Mohammed Ali al-Kitbi who was killed in action in Saudi-led intervention in Yemen.

History

The Caracal CAR 816 shares lineage to the Heckler & Koch HK416. The principal firearms engineers for the CAR 816 were Robert Hirt and Chris Sirois. Hirt was instrumental in the development of the HK416. Following his time with Heckler & Koch, Hirt was recruited by SIG Sauer to work with then SIG engineer Chris Sirois (who later designed the SIG MCX/SIG MPX) on an improved version of the HK416: the SIG Sauer SIG516. Hirt and Sirois were then recruited by Caracal to develop a rifle that was superior to both the HK416 and SIG516. From this, the CAR 816 was created.

The CAR 816 is the primary infantry assault rifle of the United Arab Emirates Armed Forces.

Design and features

short-stroke gas piston

The CAR 816 is a gas operated, select fire assault rifle with ambidextrous controls that fires from a closed rotary bolt.

The AR 816 is based on the AR-15 platform ergonomic architecture, but uses a short-stroke gas piston operating system (unlike the AR-15's piston-operated gas impingement system) with a user-adjustable gas system. With the help of the three position regulator (normal, adverse conditions and suppressor/silencer settings), the gas system can be adjusted to function reliably with various propellant, projectile, fouling, operating environment and configuration specific pressure behavior. The chamber is modified so the rifle is over-the-beach capable to let the CAR 816 fire safely as quickly as possible after being submerged in water. The M4 carbine profile hammer forged chrome lined barrel has a 178 mm (7.0 in) twist rate and features a standard A2-style flash suppressor at its muzzle end.

Stock

The CAR 816 handguard features four STANAG 2324/MIL-STD-1913 Picatinny rails. These allow for direct accessory attachment onto the rail mounting points, and can be removed without the usage of tools.

The shoulder stock is a telescoping 6 position type stock which is adjustable for length of pull.

Trigger

The CAR 816 uses a mil-spec direct trigger.

Fire selector

The selector settings are: safe, semi-automatic fire and automatic fire.

Sights

The CAR 816 basic version features rail mounted flip up rear and front iron sights. The integrated rail on the upper receiver and its continuation on the handguard at the 12 o'clock position allows for the adaptation of various aiming optics.

Feeding

The CAR 816 features a Draft STANAG 4179 compliant magazine well and is fed with STANAG magazines with a standard capacity of 30 rounds. Other STANAG compatible box and drum magazines can be used.

Variants

The weapon is available in semi-automatic and select-fire configurations with four barrel lengths;a personal defence weapon with a 191 mm (7.5 in) barrel, a compact assault rifle with a 267 mm (10.5 in) barrel, carbine with a 368 mm (14.5 in) barrel and assault rifle with a 406 mm (16.0 in) barrel.

The standard issue of the rifle supplied to the UAE armed forces bears an engraving honoring Colonel Sultan Mohammed Ali al-Kitbi.

The Caracal CAR816 A2 is a semi-automatic only export version produced in the United States by Caracal USA. It is built to exceed the NATO test protocols; “Bore Obstruction” and “Over the Beach” testing. It features some minor alterations (M-LOK rails on the handguard and a button cut and QPQ treated steel modified M4 contour barrel) to better meet civilian market preferences in the United States.

Users

Current users

• Ethiopia - carbine variant used by the Republican Guard.
• South Korea - Reported to be used by ROK UDT/SEAL teams.
• United Arab Emirates - 80,000 assault rifles.

Failed bids

• India - 93,895 carbines were ordered in September 2018, but the order was cancelled in September 2020 in favour of domestically developed carbines under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative. Later that month Caracal offered to manufacture the weapons in India.
• South Korea - Considered by Dasan Machineries as a candidate to replace the Daewoo Precision Industries K1 used by the Republic of Korea Army Special Warfare Command. Instead, Dasan Machineries submitted the DSAR-15PC as a domestic design became a tender requirement.

See also

• Caracal pistol
• CAR 817 AR

External links

• Caracal International LLC.
• CAR 816 manufacturer specifications
• CAR816 A2 manufacturer specifications (caracalusa.com)