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United States SIG Sauer
SIG516
A gas-piston-operated AR-15-pattern rifle developed by SIG Sauer for military, law-enforcement and civilian markets, designed to eliminate the direct-impingement fouling issues of standard AR-platform rifles. It is offered in multiple barrel lengths and configurations including patrol, carbine and precision variants.
In service since 2010 · 5 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
500
m range
750
rpm
880
m/s
30
rds
💲 ≈ $1,800 (public figure)
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
US ITAR-controlled
Export needs U.S. State Dept (DDTC) approval; end-use & re-transfer restrictions apply.
Channel: Foreign Military Sales (FMS) or Direct Commercial Sale
Fielded & proven
Established · 5 operators
In service since 2010. Status: active.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
Unit cost known; one-shot / small-arms class has no meaningful O&S tail to model.
Interoperability
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.
- 500 m Stronger than 52% of rifles
- Rate of fire
Rounds per minute (cyclic). Higher increases suppression and hit probability.
- 750 rpm Stronger than 62% of rifles
- Muzzle velocity
Projectile speed leaving the barrel. Higher means flatter trajectory and better armor penetration.
- 880 m/s Stronger than 46% of rifles
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
- Main armament
Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type.
- 5.56×45 mm NATO
- 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 Stronger than 58% of rifles
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
- Length
Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.
- 0.94 m
- Empty weight
Weight without fuel, ammunition or crew.
- 4 kg
- Crew
Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity.
- 1
- Barrel length
Barrel length — longer improves muzzle velocity and accuracy, shorter improves handling.
- 406 mm
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
- Unit cost
Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper.
- $1,800 Stronger than 68% of rifles
- Operator countries
Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.
- 5 Stronger than 34% of rifles
Specifications compiled from public SIG Sauer and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations — treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
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Tula Arms Plant AEK-971 Frequently asked questions
How many crew does the SIG Sauer SIG516 require? +
The SIG Sauer SIG516 requires a crew of 1.
What is the main armament of the SIG Sauer SIG516? +
The SIG Sauer SIG516's primary weapon is the 5.56×45 mm NATO.
What is the SIG Sauer SIG516 used for? +
The SIG Sauer SIG516 is a rifle & long arms typically used for infantry combat.
How many countries operate the SIG Sauer SIG516? +
The SIG Sauer SIG516 is operated by 5 countries.
How much does the SIG Sauer SIG516 cost? +
The SIG Sauer SIG516 has an approximate unit cost of 1,800 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration — treat this as directional.
