SIG Sauer wins the rifle contract for Romania’s military

Romania has announced a new service rifle, and surprisingly it’s not a domestic design. In 2025, it seemed like the Romanian-made CN 20 would replace the various AK-based designs in military service. However, in May 2026, it was announced that Romania would be adopting the SIG 516 G3 rifle instead.

SIG Sauer has been dominating military contracts, but I didn’t expect to see Romania adopt a SIG rifle, specifically a rifle so different from its current AK-based design.

At first glance, the 516 G3 looks an awful lot like an M4/M16/AR-15 rifle – it certainly has taken some inspiration from those rifles – but there’s a little more going on under the hood.

The 516 G3 uses a short-stroke, gas-piston system rather than the AR’s internal, gas-piston system. In the 516 G3, the piston is placed above the barrel.

When a round is fired, a portion of the gas used to propel the cartridge down the barrel is siphoned off and directed through a gas port. The gas strikes a piston, which is then forced rearward, striking a bolt carrier group, and allowing the gun to cycle. This system is known for its simplicity and reliability. It tends to run cooler and cleaner than the internal gas piston of the AR-15 design. Its simple nature makes it easy to adjust gas flow, which allows the gun to better integrate suppressors.

The 516 G3 isn’t all that different from an M4 rifle. In fact, the ergonomics, controls, stock, and more are all identical to M4-style rifles. This creates a very modular, optics-friendly design that Romania’s previous AK series lacked.

Beside the gas-piston system, however, the rifle features a few additional changes compared to a standard M4 rifle. The optic’s rail sits slightly higher, allowing for a more comfortable head-up shooting style, which is especially nice with night vision. There is also a secondary charging handle on the left side of the receiver that’s a bit more ergonomic for right-handed shooters.

SIG Sauer’s 516 G3 rifle.(Sig Sauer)

The rifles will use the 5.56 cartridge and be STANAG-compatible. This will further aligns the Romanian military with Western forces.

The SIG 516 G3 takes some of the more advanced features of the AR-15 family to create a modern rifle system. The controls are completely ambidextrous. This includes the magazine release, bolt lock/release, safety, and, of course, the standard AR-15 ambidextrous charging handle.

The rifle features a six-position adjustable stock allowing for a better fit for troops of varying sizes and the ability to adjust it for use with modern body armor.

The handguard is a lightweight M-LOK design that allows for accessory attachment directly to the rifle.

The commercial variants feature a 16-inch barrel. It’s not clear if Romania went with a shorter barrel for its military variant. The barrel is cold-hammer forged, ensuring excellent accuracy and durability with a long lifespan.

The rifles will be manufactured in Romania with an initial order of 150,000 weapons.

The adoption of the 516 G3 allows Romanian military units to use a modular rifle that easily accepts modern attachments, including both day and night optics, suppressors, lights, lasers, and more. The AK series of rifles could be adapted to incorporate these features, but it’s much less intuitive, and adapting its existing AK-series rifles would likely involve a compromise.

The 516 G3 will be a lightweight, light-recoiling rifle with superior ergonomics, accuracy, and handling characteristics. It’s a big move forward for the armed forces of Romania.

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