Daewoo Precision Industries K1

The Daewoo Precision Industries K1/K1A is a South Korean selective-fire carbine or assault rifle, the first modern firearm developed by Agency for Defense Development (ADD) and manufactured by Daewoo Precision Industries,[2] and entered service in the Republic of Korea Armed Forces in 1981. Although the K1 uses 5.56×45mm NATO, it is classified as a submachine gun by the South Korean military and the current manufacturer S&T Motiv,[3] because the K1 was intended to replace the M3 submachine gun.

Daewoo Precision Industries K1A
The Daewoo Precision Industries K1A
TypeAssault rifle
Carbine
Personal defense weapon (Short-barrelled assault rifles can be considered as a PDW)
Submachine gun (According to South Korea and manufacturer)
Place of originRepublic of Korea
Service history
In service1981–present
Used bySee Users
WarsPersian Gulf War
War in Afghanistan[1]
Iraq War[1]
Production history
DesignerAgency for Defense Development
Daewoo Precision Industries
Designed1977–1982
ManufacturerDaewoo Precision Industries
S&T Daewoo
S&T Motiv
Produced1980–present
VariantsSee Variants
Specifications
Mass2.87 kg (6.3 lb)
Length838 mm (33.0 in) (stock extended)
653 mm (25.7 in) (stock retracted)
Barrel length263 mm (10.4in)
Cartridge5.56×45mm
ActionGas-operated, rotating bolt (direct impingement)
Rate of fire750-900 rounds/min
Muzzle velocity820 m/s (2,700 ft/s)
Effective firing range300 m
Feed systemVarious STANAG magazines.
SightsIron sights

Development

In 1976, the ROKA Special Warfare Command requested a new weapon to replace the old M3 submachine gun. In the following year, ADD launched a project derived from the XB rifle, which started in 1972 to replace licensed M16A1s with indigenous weapons. Under the demands of the ROKASWC, the new submachine gun must acquire greater firepower, light weight, cost effectiveness, and easy access to spare parts. The first prototypes were made in 1980, and entered service in 1981 after series of field test.

But due to the design of its flash suppressor, the K1 exhibited serious problems in service with the ROK armed forces. The original version had excessive recoil, noise, flash, and weak stock due to increase in firepower. These problems caused difficulty in aiming especially during night operation.

These shortcomings were later fixed by the development and adoption of a new flash suppressor, which has three holes in the top right quadrant to limit muzzle flip under rapid fire and reduces flash to one-third of that of the early K1. This new version of K1 is known as the K1A and its production began in 1982. All K1 submachine guns in service were subsequently modified to the K1A standard.

The K1A is often mated with the PVS-4K rail integration System. It is seen as a potential candidate for the "Warrior Platform", a Korean next-generation infantry project.[4]

Differences

Most of the time, K1 submachine gun is regarded as a shortened or carbine version of Daewoo Precision Industries K2 assault rifle. However, although the two guns share development history they are very different from each other for the following reasons:

The carbine version of K2 named K2C was developed and shown to the public in 2012 by S&T Motiv.

Variants
  • XK1: Experimental prototype.
  • K1: First mass-produced variant. Every K1 has been modified to K1A standard.
  • K1A: Second mass-produced enhanced variant.
    • MAX-1: Semi-automatic version of K1A for civilian market.[6]
    • K1A1: Civilian version of K1A with longer barrel.

Users

Future replacement

The S&T Motiv K2C, an upgraded carbine version of the K2 rifle, was provided to the Republic of Korea Army Special Warfare Command for trial. After a series of tests, K2C was rejected. Instead, the Republic of Korea Armed Forces launched a competition for replacing K1A with new rifle.

On 3 June 2020, the Republic of Korea Army Special Warfare Command announced that the Dasan Machineries DSAR-15PC had been selected as its new service carbine to replace the K1A carbine. The DSAR-15P is based on the CAR 816 and other AR-15 platforms, with the carbine version having an 11.5 in (290 mm) barrel and weighing 3 kg (6.6 lb). 1,000 carbines will initially be delivered to gather user feedback, with 15,000 to be delivered by 2023.[12][13]

See also
  • Daewoo Precision Industries K2: related development
  • S&T Motiv K2C: rejected after field test
  • Daewoo Precision Industries K7: 9×19 Parabellum submachine gun with permanent silencer based on K1A
  • S&T Daewoo XK9: suggested 9×19 Parabellum submachine gun prototype to replace K1A used by special forces

References
  1. "201003140001071.pdf" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-07. Retrieved 2010-06-18.
  2. "Business Outline, Defense Business". S&T Daewoo. Archived from the original on 2010-02-06. Retrieved 2010-07-01.
  3. "E-Catalog" (PDF).
  4. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2019-02-12. Retrieved 2019-02-12.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  5. "Daewoo K1". Rifles n Guns. Archived from the original on 2008-10-14. Retrieved 2008-10-30.
  6. "Daewoo K2 assault rifle and K1 assault carbine". Archived from the original on 2008-10-22. Retrieved 2008-10-30.
  7. "Bangladesh Military Forces – BDMilitary.com - Bangladesh's largest military, security & intelligence portal since 2005". www.bdmilitary.com.
  8. "캄보디아 군대가 도입한 한국제군장비".
  9. https://web.archive.org/web/20191211191444/http://www.smallarmssurvey.org/fileadmin/docs/S-Trade-Update/SAS-Trade-Update-2019.pdf
  10. "[S&T모티브] 국군 소총 국산화 이어 중동·중남미 등 수출도".
  11. "ID No. 195149". Archived from the original on 2013-01-27. Retrieved 2012-11-30.
  12. South Korea Special Forces select Dasan Machineries DSAR-15P as future assault rifle. Army Recognition. 16 June 2020.
  13. South Korea Selects DSAR-15PC Carbine for RoKA’s Special Warfare Command. The Firearm Blog. 18 June 2020.
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