Indian Military

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Tavor TAR-21 (Standard Version), fitted with 40mm M203 grenade launcher and grenade launching sight

	TAR 21	TAR C21 / CTAR 21	TAR M21 / MTAR 21
Caliber:	5,56x45 NATO
Action	Gas operated, rotating bolt
Overall length	720 mm	640 mm	590 mm
Barrel length	460 mm	380 mm	330 mm
Weight	3,27 kg empty	3,18 kg empty	2,95 kg empty
Magazine capacity	30 rounds
Rate of fire	750 - 900 rounds per minute	750 - 900 rounds per minute	750 - 900 rounds per minute

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In general, the TAR-21 represents the mainstream of the present assault rifle developments. It shares all the "modern" features, already tried and proved successful by previous designs, like the bullpup layout, polymer housing, optical sights as a prime sighting equipment, modular design with several different configurations (from very short submachine gun and up to standard assault rifle and a para-sniper accurate rifle with heavy barrel). So far it seen not much real action, and it is hard to judge if it is really a success, and only time will show that. The IWI also developed and manufactures a civilian, semi-automatic only version of the Tavor rifle, which looks much like the Tavor Micro rifle but with longer barrel. This version has already been exported to several European countries and Canada.

The Tavor TAR-21 is a gas operated, selective fire, magazine fed assault rifle of bullpup configuration. It is available in several configurations, which differ in the barrel lengths and accessories. The basic configuration is the TAR-21 assault rifle with the 460mm (18.1 in) barrel. Next are the compact assault rifle, called CTAR-21, with the barrel 380 mm (15 in) long, and the micro assault rifle, with the barrel of only 330 mm (13 in) long, called MTAR-21. The latter rifle also featured a redesigned front part of the housing, with charging handle placed further back on receiver, for a more comfortable hold of the short weapon. Micro-Tavor also can be converted to 9mm pistol ammunition (9x19) with installation of the caliber conversion kit, which includes a new barrel, bolt group and a magazine adapter. TAR-21 utilizes a now-common long piston stroke, rotating bolt action, with the gas piston rigidly attached to the bolt carrier. Gas cylinder is located above the barrel and is completely enclosed by the gun housing. The rotating bolt is similar to one found in the M16 rifle and has seven lugs. The ejection ports are made on both sides of the weapon, and the right or the left side ejection can be selected by installing the bolt with the ejector mounted on the right or on the left, respectively (and, of cause, this change requires the gun to be partially disassembled). The bolt carrier rides on the single guide rod, with the return spring unit located above it, behind and inside the hollow gas piston rod. The charging handle is located at the front left side of the gun and does not reciprocate when gun is fired. The charging handle slots are cut on the both sides of the gun housing, so it can be installed on either side of the weapon, as required. The trigger unit is more or less conventional, with the ambidextrous fire mode selector / safety switch located above the pistol grip. The TAR-21 has no separate receiver. Instead, all parts are mounted within the high impact-resistant plastic housing, reinforced with steel inserts where appropriate. The access to all the internal parts is controlled by the hinged buttplate, which can be swung down for internal inspection and disassembly.

Early production TAR-21 rifles had no open sights, but this has been fixed with introduction of the folded front and rear sights on current production models. Tavor rifles are fitted with the standard Picatinny-type accessory rail on the top of the gun. Early guns had Israeli-made ITL MARS as standard sight, which is a complicated and expensive reflex-type sight with the built-in laser pointer. For the night time operations the MARS could be complemented with the ITL Mini N/SEAS compact night vision device. Current manufacture Tavor rifles (except for Sniper version) are usually fitted with less expensive Meprolight red-dot sight. Sniper varsions usually are fitted with Trijicon ACOG optical sight with 4X magnification. The TAR-21 utilizes the STANAG-compliant, M16 type magazines, with standard capacity of 30 rounds.

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"The dynamism of  IWI Israel is evident from the fact that they outsourced some of the main components like Magazine(USA), Bayonet(Germany), Grenade Launcher(Turkey), Grenades(Bulgaria) and Ammunition(IMI Israel). In addition some of the MIM (Metal Injection Moulding) components were even ordered from various firms in India."

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TAR-21 in its basic configuration can be fitted with different under barrel grenade launchers (UBGLs) 40mm M203 or Arcus or T40HK33. In late 2002, India signed a Rs. 880 million (about $20 million) deal with Israel Military Industries for 3,070 TAR-21 Tavor assault rifles, a new bullpup design developed for use by the Israeli Defense Forces. The Israelis had just selected the compact Tavor over the Colt M4/M16 as its next-generation assault rifle, and the compact new weapons would be issued to India’s special forces personnel, where its ergonomics, reliability in heat and sand, and fast-point/ fast-shoot design might give them an edge in close-quarters shootouts and employment from inside vehicles. Later in Mar 2009, India further imported around 1200 TAR-21 for their special forces. The dynamism of  IWI Israel is evident from the fact that they outsourced some of the main components like Magazine(USA), Bayonet(Germany), Grenade Launcher(Turkey), Grenades(Bulgaria) and Ammunition(IMI Israel). In addition some of the MIM (Metal Injection Moulding) components were even ordered on various firms from India.

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