Singapore Develops Non-lethal AR-style Rifle

Meet the P4.1, a new AR-style rifle developed for Singapore police forces. Unlike the vast majority of AR-style firearms out there, the P4.1 has one big difference: it is meant to shoot non-lethal projectiles. According to Channel News Asia, the P4.1 was developed in response to violent riots and will serve as a dual-purpose weapon for police in identifying and subduing dangerous suspects. The weapon is capable of firing rounds filled with indelible paint to mark rioters, and also rounds containing oleoresin capsicum, an irritant similar to pepper spray or tear gas.

Officials say the P4.1—which is painted bright orange—will be an invaluable tool in subduing suspects without causing unnecessary injuries or casualties. No technical specifications for the gun have been released, and it is unknown if the P4.1 is capable of firing lethal ammunition.

Singapore, a nation of just over five million residents, is commonly counted among the safest countries in the world. Despite this, recent riots such as the one in Little India in 2013 have shaken public confidence, and police are eager to embrace new tools to fight crime. Officials have announced other new technologies, such as a police riot drone and a more modern load-bearing vest, alongside the P4.1.

“I’m glad to see the police is still looking forward to improve themselves,” said Deputy Prime Minister and Home Affairs Minister Teo Chee Hean, who praised the development of law enforcement tools.

The P4.1 is expected to be rolled out to police units over the course of the next several months, while other upgrades to the police arsenal are still undergoing trials. Among them is the unmanned police aerial vehicle, a small hovering drone equipped with sirens, searchlights, cameras, and warning blinkers. Police are also testing out MOLLE-compatible vests to replace their old utility belts, and perhaps most ambitiously, an electric unicycle for patrolling officers.

You can see these tools in use below:

https://youtu.be/Pze83XUpAJw

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