| INSAS | |
|---|---|
INSAS Assault rifle |
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| Type | Assault rifle |
| Place of origin | India |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1998–present |
| Used by | See Users |
| Wars | Kargil War Nepalese Civil War |
| Production history | |
| Designer | ARDE |
| Manufacturer | Indian State Ordnance Factory Board, Ishapore |
| Variants | See Variants |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 4.25 kg (9.4 lb) empty 4.6 kg (10.1 lb) loaded |
| Length | 960 mm (37.8 in), 750 mm (29.5 in) w/stock folded |
| Barrel length | 464 mm (18.3 in) |
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| Cartridge | 5.56x45mm INSAS, 5.56x45mm NATO, 5.56x30mm MINSAS |
| Action | Gas-operated, Rotating bolt |
| Rate of fire | 650 rounds/min |
| Muzzle velocity | 900 m/s (2,953 ft/s) |
| Effective range | 450 Meters |
| Feed system | 20/30-round detachable box magazine |
INSAS (an abbreviation of Indian Small Arms System) is a family of infantry arms consisting of an assault rifle, a light machine gun and a carbine. It is manufactured by the Indian State Ordnance Factory Board at its Ishapore factory. The Insas Assault Rifle is now the standard infantry weapon of the Indian Armed Forces.
Contents |
The Indian armed forces had been equipped with a copy of the famous Belgian FN FAL rifle since the 1950s. This copy was considered to be a distinct weapon, since its parts cannot be interchanged with either the metric or inch-pattern versions of the FAL.[1] With the 7.62 mm semi-automatic rifle becoming obsolete in the 1980s, India began to develop the INSAS, incorporating features from several contemporary rifle designs. Although largely based on the ever-popular AKM, the INSAS has a number of differences, making it a unique weapon.
During the late 1980s, the Indians expressed interest in purchasing (and possibly manufacturing under license), an East German-designed AK chambered for the 5.56x45mm cartridge.[2] The deal ultimately fell through.
The INSAS system was originally planned to have three component weapons: a standard rifle, a carbine, and a squad automatic rifle (LMG), all chambered for 5.56x45mm NATO ammunition. In 1997 the rifle and LMG were ready for mass production, and in 1998 the first Indian army units were observed armed with INSAS rifles for the Republic Day Parade. The mass introduction of the INSAS rifle was initially delayed by the lack of domestically made 5.56 mm ammunition; India accordingly bought significant stocks from the Israeli company, IMI. At least 300,000 INSAS rifles are in service with the Indian army; some of these have seen action in Indo-Pakistani conflicts.
The INSAS rifle is based on the Kalashnikov AK-47 action with modifications. The basic gas-operated action (long stroke gas system, rotating bolt, and stamped steel receiver) is of the Kalashnikov pattern. The gas system is fitted with a manual gas regulator similar in design to that found on the FN FAL as well as a gas cutoff. The charging handle is positioned on the left side of the forearm; it is similar in position and design to the German HK G3 rifle.
The selector/safety switch is located on the left side of the receiver above the pistol grip, which allows single shots and three-round bursts. The rifle is fitted with a side-folding carrying handle, and either a solid or side-folding metal buttstock. Furniture is made of polymer with the stock using the butt-plate from Lee-Enfield rifles. Standard magazines are made from semi-translucent polymer and contain 20 rounds. Longer 30-round magazines of similar design are available for the INSAS LMG but can also be used in the rifle. The sights consist of a hooded front, mounted on top of the gas block, and a diopter rear, mounted on the receiver cover. The flash suppressor is shaped to accept NATO-standard rifle grenades. It can be fitted with an AKM-style multipurpose knife-bayonet.
The assault rifle version has semi-auto and 3-round burst modes much like the US M16A2. Derived from the INSAS weapon systems, the INSAS Excalibur Mark-I is ergonomically designed with a folding butt and can be fitted with 20 and 30-round magazines. It is also fitted with a Picatinny rail for mounting of opto-electronic devices. The latest variant of the INSAS has semi-automatic, 3 round bursts and full automatic fire modes.
An under-barrel grenade launcher and bayonet have been developed for the INSAS, which are also compatible with the AK-47s used by paramilitary forces.
The INSAS saw combat during the 1999 Kargil conflict with Pakistan. According to the Times of India, the rifle encountered some reliability problems in the very cold climate in which the conflict took place. Due to the cold weather, the rifle would jam occasionally and the polymer magazines would crack.[3] There were also cases where the rifle would fire on full automatic, while in three-round burst fire mode.[3] According to the manufacturers, these problems have been fixed.
After King Gyanendra seized power, relations between India and Nepal cooled, with India refusing to grant military aid. There were reports that the rifle malfunctioned in a gunbattle with Maoist insurgents, leading to many casualties.[4] This was refuted by the Indian embassy in Nepal, trials conducted before the Nepalese Army showed that the rifle was satisfactory and that the malfunctions had been due to poor handling and improper cleaning of the rifle by Nepalese soldiers.[4] These drawbacks were fixed after the Kargil Conflict in 1999.
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