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]
In September 2025, a friendly nation placed additional orders for the company's .338 Lapua Magnum caliber sniper weapon. Additionally, it has a $30 million contract that is now being carried out for the supply of rounds with a caliber of 7.62 x 51 mm.[15] The company won a deal in December to equip the National Security Guard with 500 units of 9x19 mm carbines and accessories, which is expected to cost ₹50 million.[16][17]
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.[18] SSS Defence says that these rifles have been designed to be compatible with the body structures of Indian soldiers.[19]
- 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).[18][19]
- Saber is a sniper rifle chambered for .338 Lapua Magnum. Its length and height can be adjusted at its butt stock.[20] It has a range of around 1,500 metres (4,900 ft).[18] 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.[20]
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.[21]
- 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.[22]
- P-72 Recon Carbine is a short, gas piston-operated weapon chambered for 7.62×39mm or 5.56×45mm cartridges.[22]
- 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).[22]
- Manohar 72 (M72) carbine.[23]
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.[19] By 2021, it also plans to operationalise an ammunition manufacturing in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh.[24]
The firm has established a joint venture with Companhia Brasileira de Cartuchos for this purpose.[25] This facility will produce ammunition, including 12.7mm, 9mm, 7.62×51mm, 7.62×39mm and .338 Lapua Magnum.[19]
References
edit- ^ "SSS Defence | OUR COMPANY".
- ^ Unnithan, Sandeep (8 November 2020). "Mired in red tape". India Today. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
- ^ "SSS Defence: Indigenous OEM In The Rapidly Growing Defense Industry Of India". theindustryoutlook.com. Retrieved 22 December 2025.
- ^ Vaishnav, Ajay (7 February 2020). "We create weapons with attributes that foreign ones lack, says CEO of startup behind India's first sniper rifles". CNBC TV18. 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.
- ^ "Beating Israeli Contender, Indian Co To Upgrade Army's AK-47". Livefist Defence. 31 October 2021. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
- ^ Philip, Snehesh Alex (9 July 2024). "India becomes exporter of sniper rifles, Bengaluru firm bags mega contract from friendly nation". ThePrint. Retrieved 22 December 2025.
- ^ Linganna, Girish (11 July 2024). "Indigenous Sniper Rifle: The Sabre Propels India's Self-Reliance In Defence – Analysis". Eurasia Review. Archived from the original on 13 July 2024. Retrieved 22 December 2025.
- ^ a b Pal, Pragati (9 July 2024). "India Becomes Exporter of Sniper Rifles For The First Time As Bengaluru Firm Bags International Contract". News18. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
- ^ "भारत की M72 मात्र ₹93000 में, कैसे इन 4 हाई-टेक बंदूकों को पछाड़ती है ये देसी राइफल?". Zee News Hindi (in Hindi). 17 March 2025. Retrieved 22 December 2025.
- ^ "SSS Defence Launches Indigenous Submachine Gun and DMR". imrmedia.in. Indian Military Review. 7 March 2025. Retrieved 22 December 2025.
- ^ "SSS Defence Launches A New Indigenous Raptor Assault Rifle For Indian Special Forces". indiandefensenews.in. 8 August 2025. Retrieved 22 December 2025.
- ^ Philip, Snehesh Alex (8 September 2025). "SSS Defence gets additional order from friendly nation for sniper rifles, $30 mn worth ammunition". ThePrint. Retrieved 22 December 2025.
- ^ Kumar, A. (22 December 2025). "NSG Places First Operational Order for 500 G72s SMGs from SSS Defence". The Defense News. Retrieved 22 December 2025.
- ^ "SSS Defence Secures L1 Status For NSG's 500 9×19mm Carbines". indiandefensenews.in. 22 December 2025. Retrieved 22 December 2025.
- ^ a b c Kumar, Chethan (13 September 2019). "Bangalore: In a 1st, Bengaluru firm designs, develops two sniper rifles". The Times of India. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
- ^ a b c d Siddiqui, Huma (30 January 2020). "DefExpo-2020: Made in India Viper and Sabre snipers! Check details". The Financial Express. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
- ^ a b Dhingra, Jayesh (5 February 2020). "Defexpo 2020: SSS Defence displays new sniper rifles". Jane's Defence Weekly. Archived from the original on 8 February 2020. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
- ^ Deb, Sheershoo (27 August 2021). "AK 203 vs P-72: Is Army Against Indigenous Weapons? »". DefenceXP - Indian Defence Network. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
- ^ a b c Gore, Prasad (15 September 2020). "SSS Defence » New leader in Indian private sector defence manufacturing". DefenceXP - Indian Defence Network. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
- ^ "नेता के नाम पर बंदूक! भारत में बनी देसी M72 राइफल, खासियत ऐसी कि भूल जाएंगे AK-47". Zee News Hindi (in Hindi). 16 March 2025. Retrieved 22 December 2025.
- ^ 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.