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United Arab Emirates Caracal International
CAR 816
Emirati 5.56x45mm NATO tactical assault rifle from Caracal International, a short-stroke gas piston, rotating-bolt design sharing lineage with the Heckler & Koch HK416, offered in PDW, compact, and carbine barrel-length configurations with fully ambidextrous controls.
In service since 2014 · 1 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗
550
m range
800
rpm
850
m/s
30
rds
Pricing: Unit cost not publicly disclosed
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
National export licensing
Subject to United Arab Emirates export-control approval; verify eligibility with the manufacturer.
Channel: Direct commercial / G2G
Fielded & proven
Limited · 1 operator
In service since 2014. Status: active.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
No public unit price to model from. Why so few systems publish one →
Interoperability
Competitive field
No comparable rifles from another manufacturer in the WeaponSpecs database yet. That is a gap in this catalog, not evidence that none exist. Browse the class →
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
| Effective range Distance at which the weapon reliably hits point targets. Higher extends engagement envelope. | 550 m |
|---|---|
| Rate of fire Rounds per minute (cyclic). Higher increases suppression and hit probability. | 800 rpm |
| Muzzle velocity Projectile speed leaving the barrel. Higher means flatter trajectory and better armor penetration. | 850 m/s |
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
| Caliber Bore diameter of the main gun or rifle. Larger throws heavier projectiles; not simply better, ammunition commonality matters. | 5.6 mm |
|---|---|
| Ammunition Rounds carried (main gun) or standard magazine capacity. | 30 |
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
| Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable. | 0.92 m |
|---|---|
| Combat weight Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor. | 4 kg |
| Barrel length Barrel length, longer improves muzzle velocity and accuracy, shorter improves handling. | 406 mm |
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
| Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem. | 1 |
|---|
Specifications compiled from public Caracal International and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-08-24.
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Tula Arms Plant AEK-971 Frequently asked questions
How much does the Caracal International CAR 816 weigh? +
The Caracal International CAR 816 has a combat weight of 4 kg.
What is the Caracal International CAR 816 used for? +
The Caracal International CAR 816 is a rifle & long arms typically used for assault rifle, law enforcement.
How many countries operate the Caracal International CAR 816? +
The Caracal International CAR 816 is operated by 1 countries.
How much does the Caracal International CAR 816 cost? +
Caracal International CAR 816: Unit cost not publicly disclosed. Defense program costs are rarely fully public and vary by contract and configuration.
