MA-1
* Assault rifle * Light machine gun * Designated marksman rifle
OriginMyanmar
Service2002–present
Wars
DesignerYisrael Galili of Israel Military Industries[1][a]
Length
  • 978 mm (39 in) (Mk. I-II)
  • 1,065 mm (42 in) (Mk. I-II)
  • 508 mm (20 in) (Barrel Length, Mk. II)
ActionGas-operated, rotating bolt
Is rangedyes
Used bySee Users
Design date1991
ManufacturerKa Pa Sa No. 1
Myanmar Fritz Werner Industries[b]
Production date2002–Present
VariantsSee Variants
Weight
  • 4 kg (9 lb) (No Magazine, Mk. I-II)
  • 4.42 kg (10 lb) (No Magazine, Mk. II)
  • 4.66 kg (10 lb) (With Magazine, Mk. I-II)
Cartridge5.56×45mm NATO
Rate
  • 950 rounds/min (Mk. I-II)
  • 600-700 rounds/min (Mk. II)
Velocity950 m/s (3,120 ft/s)
Range400 m (437 yd)
Feed
  • 35-, 50-, or 65-round box magazine (Galil-based)
  • 30-round magazine (For Mk. II variants c. 2019)
  • 70 or 100-round drum magazine (MA-2)
  • 10-round magazine (MA-S Mk. I)
  • 20-round magazine (MA-S Mk. II)
Sights
Ref[2][3][4][5]

The DI MA-1[c] is a family of Myanmar-made assault rifles chambered for 5.56×45mm NATO, produced by the Myanmar Directorate of Defence Industries.

The MA designation on the weapon means Myanmar Army.[6] The series are sometimes erroneously referred to as the EMERK-3.[7]

History

The Tatmadaw was armed with the BA63 (Burma Army 63), the Myanma-made version of the Heckler & Koch G3A3 battle rifle[8] 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.[9] However, it was considered too heavy for Myanma soldiers to use in jungle warfare.[10]

A team of engineers from IMI reportedly visited Yangon in 1991, helping with preparing the foundation to manufacture the MA-1s.[11][12] Reports cite Israel's support of Myanmar in developing the MA-1 despite repeated denials by Israeli officials based in Myanmar, Singapore and Thailand.[13]

Serial production started in 2002 after signing an agreement with IMI.[10] The assault rifles were mostly made at Ka Pa Sa No 1 or DI-1,[6] a factory located near Inya Lake that serves as the main factory.[10][14]

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.[13]

Operational Use

The MA-series was first spotted in the early 2000s at numerous Tatmadaw Armed Forces Day parades and demonstrations,[15][12] replacing the previous Heckler & Koch G3 rifles that were in service.[10]

By 2009, it was reported that the Tatmadaw was almost fully equipped with the MA series.[10] From 2014, the Mk II variant is being used by the Tatmadaw as their standard rifle.[16] Plans were made to fully adopt the DI MA-1 Mk. III, but plans are halted due to quality issues.[17]

MA rifles have also been seen usage by the insurgent groups, captured from Tatmadaw forces[18] or from defecting soldiers.[19]

MA-1 and MA-3s have been documented in use by the PDF in the civil war since May 2023, with most being captures from Myanmar government soldiers and police officers.[20]

Some MA-3s were reportedly seen in Manipur, where they were confiscated in raids in July 2024.[21]

Design

The DI MA-1 series are based on the IMI Galil with some localised modifications produced with assistance from Israel.[13]

The MA-1 rifles are made with ventilated handguards and horizontal charging handles, unlike the Galil which has a vertical charging handle.[7] Early models (Mk. I) have curved cheekpieces in the buttstocks with later models (Mk. II) omitting this.[22] MA rifles are compatible with Galil magazines,[7] although they can use polymer magazines.[22]

They were initially introduced with wooden handguards; early 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.[24] It also uses synthetic alloys and plastics in its construction.[16]

An indicator for a MA rifle that is optimized to fire rifle grenades is the presence of tall iron sights.[22] The rifles can use the MG-2 rifle grenade.[25]

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

In a 2009 interview, Sai Sheng Murng, deputy spokesman of the Shan State Army (RCSS), mentioned that foreign-made 5.56 NATO ammo cannot be used in the MA rifles while Myanma-made ammo can work with foreign assault rifles chambered in the same caliber.[10][26]

Variants

MA-1

Standard assault rifle with a bayonet lug for the option to have a bayonet mounted.[7] The bipod was not made standard with the MA-1s with the cleaning kit stored in a hollow space in the buttstock. The MA-1s are not equipped with a pistol grip-type safety system.[27]

It's reported by convicted porters under the Tatmadaw that Myanma soldiers would write the battalion number on its stock.[28]

MA-2

Light machine gun version with a heavy barrel and a bipod mounted.[29]

It was originally developed without the idea of using a drum magazine, relying on standard capacity magazines,[30] but it can be used with drum magazines.[4]

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 used 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.[4]

MA-3

Carbine version with a folding metal buttstock.[31] 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] Can be used with suppressors made from AISI-321 stainless steel.[11]

Early models were badly made due to the materials used in its manufacture before they were fully resolved through the Mk II variant.

MA-4

A version of the MA-1 equipped with an underbarrel grenade launcher (UBGL),[31] known as the BA203 (Burma Army 203).[4]

It is an unlicensed clone of the MKEK T-40.[32][d] The UBGL is permanently fixed, which cannot be removed.

MA-S

Known as Myanmar Army Sniper, a designated marksman rifle variant based on the MA-2.[33] They are used with a PSO-1 scope.[11]

It's chambered in 7.62x51 NATO caliber and fires from a 10-round magazine.[33] There are reports indicating that production may have started as early as 2011 to 2012.[34] It has a total weight of 5.3 kg, a total length of 1140 mm and a barrel length of 620 mm.[33] The rifle has a muzzle velocity of 852 m/s and an effective range of 1000 meters.[33]

The MA-S consist of a Mk. I and Mk. II version. The Mk. I resembles a Dragunov that can take 10-round magazines[4][33] with a PSO-1 scope.[35]

The Mk. II resembles Zastava-based rifles that can take 20-round magazines.[4] It has a picatinny rail under the gas block to install a bipod.[4] It comes in two colors; green or black furniture.[4] A version of the Mk. II in a camo finish was on display at the 2019 Defence and Security arms fair.[4]

There is a MA-S variant made for Tatmadaw soldiers participating in overseas shooting competitions such as the ASEAN Armies Rifle Meet.[36]

Mk. II

Pre-2019

The Mk. II variant saw the use of polymer to replace the black stock of the Mk. I.[4] It was also often equipped with polymer stocks, pistol grips, and fore-ends as standard issue.[23]

Post-2019

The newer Mk II variants were shown overseas at the 2019 Defense and Security exhibition in Bangkok, Thailand, which was visited by Min Aung Hlaing.[37] This variant was publicly shown in 2022 with the Tatmadaw with a telescopic stock and picatinny rail on the upper receiver.[3] It was supposed to be shown in public in 2020, but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[3]

The new Mk II magazine is based on the South African polymer Vektor R4 magazine.[22] The black moulds used in the newer Mk II variants were allegedly based on moulding materials provided by CAA Industries.[38]

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

A variant of the MA1 Mk II known as T1 was seen in the hands of Myanmar Army soldiers since December 2025.[39] Small numbers of them were captured by various rebel forces.[40][41][42]

Users

Non-State Actors

Notes

  1. ^ Minor adaptions were made to the original Israeli Galil design.
  2. ^ Some sources mention this company is responsible for manufacturing the MA rifles.[7]
  3. ^ Sometimes known as the MA1.[10]
  4. ^ Other sources mention that it's an unlicensed clone of the M203.[46]

References

  1. ^ "Yisrael Galili, Weapons Inventor, 72". The New York Times. 11 March 1995.
  2. ^ "MA-1". Archived 2024-12-07 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2025-02-26.
  3. ^ "或将在缅甸第77个武装部队日亮相的缅军新式Ma突击步枪_型号_系列_榴弹发射器". Sohu
  4. ^ "Archived copy". Archived 2022-11-23 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2022-11-23.
  5. ^ "今日头条". Archived 2024-06-16 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2025-08-12.
  6. ^ "Toys for the Boys". Asia Pacific Solidarity Network. Archived from the original on 2016-06-23. Retrieved 2018-07-26.
  7. ^ Roodhorst (2015), p. 1399.
  8. ^ Human Rights Watch. "Burma Government and Army". Archived 2008-10-20 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2018-08-03.
  9. ^ Roman Decker (November 2007). ""Strong and Fast": German Arms in Burma". Archived 2018-07-25 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2018-08-03.
  10. ^ Lawi Weng. "Burmese Army Equipped with New Arms". Irrawaddy. Archived November 8, 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2021-04-15.
  11. ^ "Critical Supplies - Special Advisory Council for Myanmar". 14 January 2023.
  12. ^ "Burma's Secret Military Partners". openresearch-repository.anu.edu.au. Archived 12 April 2023 at the Wayback Machine.
  13. ^ William Ashton (2000-03-01). "Myanmar and Israel develop military pact". Jane's Intelligence Review. Archived 2016-02-05 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2018-08-06.
  14. ^ "BURMA'S WMD PROGRAMME AND MILITARY COOPERATION BETWEEN BURMA AND THE DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF KOREA". p. 60. Archived November 8, 2023 at the Wayback Machine.
  15. ^ Ian McCollum, Rob Stott, Larry Vickers (January 1, 2019). Vickers Guide: Kalashnikov (Volume 2)[page needed]
  16. ^ Thứ Ba (2014-11-25). "Súng trường MA-1 Mark II của Myanmar vượt trội M16 của Mỹ?, Page 3" (in Vietnamese). Bao Dat Viet. Archived 2014-12-28 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2018-06-08.
  17. ^ "無托步槍真香？緬甸山寨97式大批量裝備部隊，亞洲兩國幫了大忙" (in Chinese). 2020-10-22. Archived from the original on 2024-06-22. Retrieved 2024-07-31.
  18. ^ "KAREN NATIONAL LIBERATION ARMY SITUATION REPORT". p. 2. Archived November 8, 2023 at the Wayback Machine.
  19. ^ "Burma Human Rights Handbook". 2008. p. 14. Archived October 7, 2022 at the Wayback Machine.
  20. ^ "Myanmar PDFs getting the guns to turn the war". 19 May 2023. Archived 2024-02-27 at the Wayback Machine.
  21. ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20240714055717/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/manipur/manipur-police-seize-arms-ammunition/article68402671.ece
  22. ^ "Burmese Rifle Grenades of the Infantry MA Series of Rifles". 17 August 2018.
  23. ^ "BURMESE SMALL ARMS DEVELOPMENT - Small Arms Review". 26 August 2009.
  24. ^ Duong Minh (2014-11-23). "Súng trường Myanmar tự làm xuất hiện tại Việt Nam" (in Vietnamese). Soha. Archived 2018-07-29 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2018-08-03.
  25. ^ "MG-2 - Centre for Information Resilience". www.info-res.org. Retrieved 2025-08-12.
  26. ^ The Yat-Thai rifles of Shan State, Myanmar. Miles Vining. February 19, 2020. Armament Research Services (ARES).
  27. ^ Johnson & Nelson (2016), p. 215.
  28. ^ "Archived copy". Archived 2022-01-25 at the Wayback Machine.
  29. ^ Roodhorst (2015), p. 1400.
  30. ^ "这款轻机枪在缅甸战争中使用最为广泛 供弹却常用步枪弹匣而不是弹鼓" (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 2018-08-03. Retrieved 2018-08-03.
  31. ^ Roodhorst (2015), p. 1401.
  32. ^ "The Kachin Kalashnikov in Myanmar". 24 July 2018.
  33. ^ "不可忽视的战场幽灵 缅甸自制MA-S狙击步枪" (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 2018-07-29. Retrieved 2018-07-29.
  34. ^ "MA-Sniper Development Continues: Production and Issue". 13 September 2018.
  35. ^ "The MA-Sniper: Early Burmese Army Designated Marksman Rifle Development". 30 August 2018.
  36. ^ "Burmese MA-Sniper Modified for AARM Marksmanship Competition". 10 September 2018.
  37. ^ "或将在缅甸第77个武装部队日亮相的缅军新式Ma突击步枪"
  38. ^ "Israel's CAA Industries Ltd suspected to have aided and abetted the Myanmar military's international crimes | Justice for Myanmar"
  39. ^ တပ်မတော်မှာ MA1 အစားထိုး မိုက်တယ်... ပစ်အာပိုကောင်းလာတယ် ကျည်ခွံညှပ်တဲ့ပြသနာ လျော့သွားတယ် စစ်မင်း Archived April 8, 2026 at the Wayback Machine
  40. ^ "စစ်တပ်ရဲ့ နောက်ဆုံးထုတ် အမ် အေဝမ်း သေနတ်ကို PDF တွေသိမ်းဆည်းရရှိ" [The PDFs captured the latest variant of the military's MA1 rifle] (in Burmese). People's Spring. January 6, 2026.
  41. ^ "ဖရူဆိုမြို့နယ်၊ နန်းဖဲကျေးရွာအနီးရှိ ချောင်းအတွင်းရေခပ်ဆင်းလာသည့် စစ်သားများကို တိုက်ခိုက်မှုု ၅ ဦးသေဆုံးပြီး လက်နက် ၅ လက်သိမ်းဆည်းရရှိ" [Five soldiers were killed and five weapons were seized in an attack on soldiers who were drawing water from a stream near Nanphe village, Hpruso Township.] (in Burmese). Khit Thit Media. March 18, 2026.
  42. ^ "ပခုက္ကူ စက်မှုဇုန် အကြမ်းဖက်စစ်တပ်ဂိတ် တိုက်ခိုက်ခံရ၍ လေးဦးသေဆုံး" [Four killed in attack against a terrorist military checkpoint in Pakokku Industrial Zone] (in Burmese). Narinjara News. April 7, 2026.
  43. ^ "When Myanmar's military seized power in a Feb. 1 coup, millions across the country took to the streets in protest". The Washington Post. 2021.
  44. ^ "Inside Myanmar's Armed Uprising". The Globe and Mail. 6 December 2022. Archived 2022-12-07 at the Wayback Machine.
  45. ^ "Burma Conflict Blog". www.dictatorwatch.org. Archived November 8, 2023 at the Wayback Machine.
  46. ^ "设计奇葩却很实用的缅甸Ma-4步枪". Sohu

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.