Recent images have emerged of the Pakistani Special Service Group (SSG), the countries Naval Special Operations component, with New Hampshire based Sig Sauer, Inc. 5.56x45mm NATO SIG 516PDW carbines with 7.5 inch barrels, along with Steiner DBAL I2 ATPIALs mounted on the handrails. SSG operators have been seen with both Magpul and STANAG magazines inserted. The images appeared on two recent threads in Pakistan Defense, from July of this year, and from early October as well.

Pakistani Special Operations have been working with 14.5 inch M4 carbines for some time now, but this appears to be the first glimpse of short barreled M4s among Pakistani operators, especially piston operated ones as opposed to direct gas impingement versions that are provided through foreign military sales programs.

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The choice of this particular carbine stands out due to the relatively low numbers of SIG 516PDWs produced and exported worldwide. The variation was offered on the U.S. market, but as an SBR for civilian purchase with 7.5 inch or 10 inch barrels, or for LE/Post Sample only availability with a fire selector switch on fully automatic. It appears to have been introduced around 2012, 2013. Although the carbine didn’t appear to gain much popularity on the U.S. market, Sig Sauer continued with the 7 inch AR offerings, today with the company’s Rattler design offered in both a rifle and pistol version, in addition to the MCX pistol variant.