Stumpp Schuele & Somappa Defence (SSS Defence)[2] is an Indian company that deals in military small arms sectors. It is a subsidiary of Stumpp Schuele & Somappa Springs. Its current focus area is small arms, ammunition and accessories related to small arms.[3]
 | |
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Defense |
| Founded | 2017[1] |
| Headquarters | Bengaluru, India |
| Products | Firearms, weapon |
| Revenue | unknown |
| Parent | Stumpp Schuele & Somappa Springs |
| Website | sssdefence.com |
History
editIn 2016, Stumpp Schuele & Somappa Springs, the biggest Indian manufacturer of springs, started deliberating on ways to diversify its business. This led to the creation of SSS Defence.[4] This foray into the business of small arms and ammunition was primarily targeted onto the foreign markets located in Asia, apart from those in India.[5] It became the first private Indian firm to have developed sniper rifles when it’s Viper and Saber rifles were released.[6]
In October 2021, the firm received an order to upgrade some of Indian army's AK-47 rifles to special operations standard.[7] This was the first time a private Indian company received a firearms order.[8]
In July 2024, the company secured the first export contract to a friendly foreign nation, though how many Saber sniper rifles were ordered remains unknown.[9][10] The company also received the contract of ammunition from several countries.[11] The sum of these deals is around $50 million.[11]
In March 2025, SSS Defence won a contract to provide the Manohar M72 carbine to the Uttar Pradesh Police with 2,000 M72s.[12] In the same month, the company unveiled a submachine gun chambered in 9mm Parabellum and a DMR.[13] In August 2025, the company released the Raptor, which is an assault rifle chambered in .300 Blackout.[14]
Products and facilities
editProducts
editSniper rifles
editSSS Defence has developed two sniper rifles and plans to offer them for trials to Indian special forces, being the Viper and the Saber.[15] SSS Defence says that these rifles have been designed to be compatible with the body structures of Indian soldiers.[16]
- Viper is a sub-MOA sniper rifle chambered for 7.62×51mm or .308 cartridges. It has a proven range of more than 1,000 metres (3,300 ft).[15][16]
- Saber is a sniper rifle chambered for .338 Lapua Magnum. Its length and height can be adjusted at its butt stock.[17] It has a range of around 1,500 metres (4,900 ft).[15] The picatinny rail system on the rifle has a MIL-STD-1913 rail at a total of 4 positions. It has a weight of around 7 kilograms. When fully equipped with accessories, the Sabre weighs around 9 kilograms. The rifle has an ambidextrous magazine release. It can be equipped with three different types of barrels with lengths of 24, 26, and 27 inches respectively, its RH Twist being 1:11.25". The receiver system of the rifle is made up of aluminium alloy and the surface of the receiver is coated with cerakote and black oxide.[17]
Assault rifles
editThe company has also developed the P-72 family of rifles, with design philosophy similar to the ACR, FN Scar, and Czech CZ Bren 2 Family.[18]
- P-72 Rapid Engagement Combat Rifle (RECR) was designed for general infantry and special operations environments. It is chambered for 7.62×39mm or 7.62×51mm.[19]
- P-72 Recon Carbine is a short, gas piston-operated weapon chambered for 7.62×39mm or 5.56×45mm cartridges.[19]
- P-72 Designated Marksman Rifle (DMR) comes in both 7.62×51mm and 7.62×39mm. This provides a range of around 800 metres (2,600 ft).[19]
- Manohar 72 (M72) carbine[20]
Facilities
editSSS Defence is projected to become the second Indian company to operate a small arms manufacturing facility by the end of 2020.[5] This facility will eventually be capable of producing 80,000 arms per year, starting with an initial 15,000 per year.[16] By 2021, it also plans to operationalise an ammunition manufacturing in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh.[21]
The firm has established a joint venture with Companhia Brasileira de Cartuchos for this purpose.[22] This facility will produce ammunition, including 12.7mm, 9mm, 7.62×51mm, 7.62×39mm and .338 Lapua Magnum.[16]
References
edit- ^ "SSS Defence | OUR COMPANY".
- ^ "Mired in red tape". India Today. 8 November 2020. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
- ^ "SSS Defence: Indigenous OEM In The Rapidly Growing Defense Industry Of India".
- ^ "We create weapons with attributes that foreign ones lack, says CEO of startup behind India's first sniper rifles". CNBC TV18. 7 February 2020. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
- ^ a b Manghat, Sajeet (8 February 2020). "Defence Expo 2020: This Startup And A 30-Year-Old Firm Have One Thing In Common". BloombergQuint. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
- ^ "In a first, two indigenous sniper rifles developed by Bengaluru-based firm". Asian News International. 14 October 2019. Retrieved 4 November 2019 – via India Today.
- ^ Philip, Snehesh Alex (31 October 2021). "Bengaluru's SSS Defence beats Israeli firm, will be first from India to upgrade Army's AK-47s". ThePrint. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
- ^ Livefist, Team (31 October 2021). "Beating Israeli Contender, Indian Co To Upgrade Army's AK-47". Livefist Defence. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
- ^ "India becomes exporter of sniper rifles, Bengaluru firm bags mega contract from friendly nation". ThePrint. 9 July 2024. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
- ^ https://www.eurasiareview.com/11072024-indigenous-sniper-rifle-the-sabre-propels-indias-self-reliance-in-defence-analysis/
- ^ a b "India Becomes Exporter of Sniper Rifles For The First Time As Bengaluru Firm Bags International Contract". News18. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
- ^ https://zeenews.india.com/hindi/zee-hindustan/national/manohar-m72-can-beat-these-4-advanced-rifles-in-comparison-foreign-weapons/2683607
- ^ "SSS Defence Launches Indigenous Submachine Gun and DMR". Indian Military Review. 7 March 2025.
- ^ https://www.indiandefensenews.in/2025/08/sss-defence-launches-new-indigenous.html
- ^ a b c "Bangalore: In a 1st, Bengaluru firm designs, develops two sniper rifles". The Times of India. 13 September 2019. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
- ^ a b c d "DefExpo-2020: Made in India Viper and Sabre snipers! Check details". The Financial Express. 30 January 2020. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
- ^ a b "Defexpo 2020: SSS Defence displays new sniper rifles". Jane's Defence Weekly. 5 February 2020. Archived from the original on 8 February 2020. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
- ^ "AK 203 vs P-72: Is Army Against Indigenous Weapons? »". DefenceXP - Indian Defence Network. 27 August 2021. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
- ^ a b c "SSS Defence » New leader in Indian private sector defence manufacturing". DefenceXP - Indian Defence Network. 15 September 2020. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
- ^ https://zeenews.india.com/hindi/zee-hindustan/national/manohar72-m72-carbine-a-desi-rifle-milestone-for-sss-defence-and-atmanirbhar-bharat/2682802
- ^ Vaishnav, Ajay (7 February 2020). "Defence Expo 2020: Bengaluru startup builds India's first indigenous sniper rifle prototypes". CNBC TV18. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
- ^ "Rs 1,020 crore arms factory to come up in Anantapur". The New Indian Express. 1 January 2019. Archived from the original on 17 July 2019. Retrieved 9 February 2020.