DI MA-1

The DI MA-1 is a family of Myanma-made assault rifles chambered for 5.56×45mm NATO, produced by the Myanmar Directorate of Defence Industries. They are based on the IMI Galil with some localised modifications produced with assistance from Israel.

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

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

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

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

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

By 2009, it was reported that the Tatmadaw was almost fully equipped with the MA series. MA rifles have also been seen usage by the Karen National Liberation Army, Shan State Army (RCSS) and the Ta'ang National Liberation Army, captured from Tatmadaw forces or from defecting soldiers. The Karenni Army has also used MA-1s taken from Myanma soldiers.

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

On March 2022, the Tatmadaw showcased a new type of the MA-1 Mk. II rifle in the Armed Forces Day parade, which has a telescopic stock and a picatinny rail on the upper receiver. It was supposed to be shown in public in 2020, but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

On May 2023, MA-1 and MA-3s are used by the PDF in the civil war, captured from Myanma soldiers and police officers.

Design


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

The MA-1 rifles are made with ventilated handguards and horizontal charging handles, unlike the Galil which has a vertical charging handle. Early models (Mk. I) have curved cheekpieces in the buttstocks with later models (Mk. II) omitting this. MA rifles are compatible with Galil magazines, although they can use polymer magazines. Any MA rifle can use a clone of the Type 81 bayonet if a bayonet lug is present.

They were initially introduced with wooden handguards; early models were made with brown polymer furniture and rounded, smooth pistol grips. Later versions were produced with black furniture and clear cut Galil grips, designated as the Mk II. It also uses synthetic alloys and plastics in its construction.

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

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-made ammo can work with foreign assault rifles chambered in the same caliber.

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

MA-1
Standard assault rifle with a bayonet lug for the option to have a bayonet mounted. It's reported by convicted porters under the Tatmadaw that Myanma soldiers would write the battalion number on its stock.

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.

MA-2
Light machine gun version with a heavy barrel and a bipod mounted. It was originally developed without the idea of using a drum magazine, relying on standard capacity magazines, but it can be used with drum magazines.

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

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.

MA-3
Carbine version with a folding metal buttstock. The stock is rarely used due to great difficulty in moving it and to fully depress the lock in order to unfold it. 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), known as the BA203 (Burma Army 203). It is an unlicensed clone of the MKEK T-40.

The UBGL is permanently fixed, which cannot be removed.

Pre-2019
The Mk. II variant saw the use of polymer to replace the black stock of the Mk. I. It was also often equipped with polymer stocks, pistol grips, and fore-ends as standard issue.

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. This variant was publicly shown in 2022 with the Tatmadaw with a telescopic stock and picatinny rail on the upper receiver. The new Mk II magazine is based on the South African polymer Vektor R4 magazine.

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. It's chambered in 7.62x51 NATO caliber and fires from a 10-round magazine. There are reports indicating that production may have started as early as 2011 to 2012.

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

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

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

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

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