IDEX 2025: Caracal to manufacture CAR 816 assault rifle in Malaysia

The UAE’s Caracal is set to manufacture and assemble its CAR 816 assault rifle in Malaysia under an agreement signed with Ketech Asia at the IDEX 2025 exhibition in Abu Dhabi, according to an 18th February press release from the EDGE Group, which owns Caracal. 

The two companies signed a resale agreement in 2023 which allowed for the transfer of Caracal’s technology as well as the resale of the CAR 816 in support of programmes underway with the Malaysian armed forces at the time. Ketech was building a new facility in Pahang and the announcement at the time indicated that the company would be able to assemble the CAR 816 at its facility. The new agreement will lead Ketech to manufacture key components of the rifle at the Pahang factory. 

Caracal has pursued this type of agreement in the past, one successful example includes a partnership with Indonesia’s PT Pindad in 2021 under which PT Pindad would produce the barrels and some other components. The weapons are now understood to be in service with the Indonesian armed forces. Caracal also signed an agreement with India’s ICOMM during IDEX 2023, which included a full transfer of technology to locally manufacture Caracal’s small arms including the CAR 816 and sell them in India. The CAR 816 is also in service with the UAE’s armed forces.

Tech profile: CAR 816 

The CAR 816 is a 5.56x45mm NATO calibre assault rifle that can be produced with different barrel lengths according to customer needs and requirements. Shorter barrels are typically used for close protection or close combat roles and lead to a reduced range compared with longer barrels. The 16 inch barrel offered by Caracal provides up to 550 m of range and the shortest 10 inch barrel is limited to 200. It can fire in sem-automatic and automatic modes, with a maximum rate of fire of 800 rounds per minute. It uses a gas-operated, short-stroke gas piston system with a rotating bolt. 

Put simply, this means that the high pressure gas generated by firing each round is used to reload the rifle. It does this by using the gas to push a piston, which then drives the bolt carrier cycling the next round. A long stroke system has the piston and bolt carrier connected together, which can be less reliable. Finally, the rotating bolt refers to the way that the bolt locks into the barrel to provide a secure seal for when the round is fired. As the piston drives the bolt carrier to the rear of the rifle, it rotates the bolt out of the barrel extension allowing the next round to be cycled. 

Calibre comment

The US has selected the 6.8 mm round for its future infantry assault rifle and squad support weapon under the belief that it needs greater lethality for its small arms. While the 6.8 mm round certainly achieves that aim, it is not yet clear whether the rest of NATO will follow suit. 

By Sam Cranny-Evans, published on 19th February 2025.