l a n d W A R F A R E
The ROK’s K2 assault rifle is being adopted by the country’s army and navy special forces units. The K2 carbine is derived from the legacy K2 assault rifle already in service with the ROK’s armed forces.
CHOOSE YOUR WEAPONS
As nations continue to avoid conflict with the deterrent effect of their armed services, it is their Special Operations Forces (SOF) which remain at short notice to move to launch clandestine and discreet missions to defeat adversaries beyond the gaze of traditional and social media. by Andrew White
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ntegral to any SOF mission is a robust concept of operation using tactics, techniques and procedures; as well as secure and reliable communications; protective equipment and lethality provided by Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW). In the latter part of 2016, the Asia-Pacific has become an integral hub for the international SALW market with a series of large requirements and new developments. For example the Republic of Korea (ROK) is using the domestic S&T Motiv 5.56mm x 45mm K2 carbine, already in service with the ROK Army’s (ROKA) special forces brigades and ROK Navy (ROKN) SEAL (Sea, Air and Land) teams, sources explained to AMR. The weapon features a barrel capable of housing the firm’s K11 suppressor (to reduce firing noise and muzzle flash) and an extendable butt stock, making it particularly suitable
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for close quarter combat in urban and maritime environments as well as airborne insertion by parachute. This is because carbines traditionally boast a comparatively smaller physical size than assault rifles, making them ideal for such aforementioned tasks. Also displayed alongside the K2 at the September Defence Expo Korea event held in Seoul, was S&T Motiv’s longer range members of the K2 family, including the K2C1 5.56mm x 45mm weapon which comprises an upgraded variant of the Republic of Korea Army’s legacy K2 assault rifle, as distinct from the K2 carbine discussed above. Company sources explained to AMR its vision for the K2C1 to provide a longer range capability for the ROKA and ROKN SEALs as well as to replace inservice Colt Defence M-16 assault rifles currently being used by the ROKA. S&T Motiv is contracted to supply
| Asian Military Review |
a total of circa 60000 K2 assault rifles to the ROKA, with manufacturing already underway. Initial deliveries began in June 2016, official sources confirmed although specific numbers remain undisclosed, as does when deliveries are likely to conclude. This gas-operated weapon is available in 305mm (twelve inch/in) and 465mm (18.3in) barrel lengths, with the latter option providing an overall weapon length of 850mm (33.4in) when fully extended. The weapon weighs 3.7 kilograms (7.9 pounds/lb) in an unloaded configuration.
Russia While S&T Motiv was exhibiting its wares in Seoul, the Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) hosted the annual International Military Technical Forum or ‘Army 2016’ event in Moscow from 6 September to 11 September, with indigenous companies