ST Kinetics CPW
- Category
- Personal Defense Weapon
- Barrel
- 180 mm
- Weight, empty
- 1.50 kg
- Introduced
- 2008
About
What it is, and why it matters
The ST Kinetics CPW (Compact Personal Weapon) is a Singaporean modular select-fire submachine gun / PDW developed by ST Kinetics (now ST Engineering Land Systems). Chambered primarily in 9×19mm Parabellum with documented modular conversion paths to 5.7×28mm FN and 4.6×30mm HK via barrel/bolt swap. It uses a lever-delayed blowback action firing from a closed bolt at 900-1100 rpm, fed from a 30-round translucent polymer magazine seated in the pistol grip. Features fully ambidextrous controls, top and bottom Picatinny rails, and a collapsible stock that allows the weapon to fold to ~350 mm - small enough to be carried in a holster.
One of very few modular pistol-caliber/PDW personal-defense weapons designed to allow operator-level caliber swaps in the field via interchangeable barrel and bolt assemblies. Developed as part of Singapore's effort to maintain an indigenous small-arms industry through ST Kinetics, but never achieved widespread military or law-enforcement adoption despite favorable industry reviews.
Modular caliber conversions are 9x19, 5.7x28mm, and 4.6x30mm - NOT .40 S&W or .45 ACP as sometimes assumed. Action is specifically lever-delayed blowback (STK 'cam recoil mitigation mechanism'). Despite favorable industry reviews, the CPW never achieved widespread adoption.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- ST Engineering Land Systems
- Category
- Personal Defense Weapon
- Country
- Singapore
- Status
- Limited production
- Produced
- 2008
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 180 mm
- Overall length
- 500 mm
- Weight, empty
- 1.50 kg
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Lever delayed blowback
- Firing mechanism
- Hammer fired
- Trigger
- Select fire
- Capacity
- 30
- Magazine
- Detachable box
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Polymer
- Slide
- Aluminum
- Barrel
- Steel
- Stock
- Polymer
- Finish
- Matte black
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 380 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 540 J
- Effective range
- 100 m
- Rate of fire
- 1000 rpm
Trajectory
What the round does downrange
Solved from the muzzle figures and the bullet. The dashed rule is the effective range on the record, and the crosses are the steps the solver returned.
Features
What it has
What the record lists as fitted, drawn from the catalogue.
Modular caliber conversion
Fully ambidextrous controls
Translucent polymer magazine
Picatinny top rail
Picatinny bottom rail
Collapsible telescoping stock
Slotted flash suppressor- Holsterable when folded
Standing
How it compares
Each figure against the firearms of the same type and cartridge that record it, or of the same type where that cartridge has too few. Positions are read to the nearest tenth.
| Measurement | This firearm | Median | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empty weightAmong 54 personal defense weapons | 1.50 kg | 2.23 kg | Lighter than about 80% |
| Overall lengthAmong 53 personal defense weapons | 500 mm | 582 mm | Shorter than about 80% |
| Barrel lengthAmong 55 personal defense weapons | 180 mm | 168 mm | Longer than about 60% |
| Magazine capacityAmong 25 9x19mm Parabellum personal defense weapons | 30 | 20 | Holds more rounds than about 70% |
Its place in the rankings
Answers
Questions about the ST Kinetics CPW
How much does the ST Kinetics CPW weigh?
The ST Kinetics CPW weighs 1.50 kg (3.31 lb) empty. It is the 8th lightest of 54 personal defense weapons in the catalogue.
What caliber is the ST Kinetics CPW?
The ST Kinetics CPW is chambered in 9x19mm Parabellum.
How many rounds does the ST Kinetics CPW hold?
The ST Kinetics CPW holds 30 rounds, fed from a detachable box magazine.
How long is the ST Kinetics CPW?
The ST Kinetics CPW is 500 mm (19.7 in) long overall, with a 180 mm (7.09 in) barrel.
Who makes the ST Kinetics CPW?
The ST Kinetics CPW is made by ST Engineering Land Systems (Singapore).
When was the ST Kinetics CPW introduced?
The ST Kinetics CPW was introduced in 2008.
How does the ST Kinetics CPW operate?
The ST Kinetics CPW uses a lever delayed blowback action, and its firing mechanism is hammer fired.
Compatibility
Which parts fit this firearm
Studio
Every part that mounts on this, resolved
Not a list the maker typed out: the answer comes from the mounts this firearm exposes and the interface each part needs, so it stays right when either one changes.
- Every part that mounts on any firearm in the catalogue
- Interface standards, platforms and fit overrides
- The same answers through the API and the MCP server
Requires a signed-in GunSpec account on the Studio plan. The answer is computed per part, so it is not part of the public record.
Provenance
What the record holds
Every figure above was taken from one of these pages. The confidence reflects how much of the record came from a page a claim can be checked against.
In service
- Singapore Armed Forces (limited evaluation)
- Singapore
- Bangladesh special police (limited)
- 2019
Provenance
Confidence in this record
78%
Stockists
Where to buy
Offers link straight to the shop. GunSpec never takes the order.
No shop has listed this firearm yet
Stock and prices come from the shops themselves. If you sell this firearm, you can list it and it appears here.
List a firearmMCP
Ask an assistant about it
The same record, reached the way a person asks for it rather than the way a program does.
Ask GunSpec
Works with
Point an MCP client at GunSpec and it answers from the catalogue rather than from memory. A free key covers the read tools.
API
The call that returns this record
The same fields, in the same units, from the same endpoint the page reads.
curl --request GET \ --url 'https://api.gunspec.io/v1/firearms/st-kinetics-cpw' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "st-kinetics-cpw", "name": "ST Kinetics CPW", "manufacturer": { "id": "st-kinetics", "name": "ST Engineering Land Systems", "countryCode": "SG", "foundedYear": 1967, "website": "https://www.stengg.com", "logoUrl": null, "description": "Singapore defense contractor specializing in armored vehicles and ground combat systems. Historically produced small arms including the Ultimax 100 light machine gun and SAR 21 bullpup rifle.", "status": "active", "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": true, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-02-18 03:40:48", "updatedAt": "2026-09-15 07:19:19", "version": "60b09a84aaed1bb6ff46e4d8f29b675171e7f36c2772f1aafc8dcf4bf0262e2e" }, "category": { "id": "personal-defense-weapon", "name": "Personal Defense Weapon", "description": "Compact firearms designed for non-frontline military personnel" }, "country_of_origin": "SG", "year_introduced": 2008, "barrel_length_mm": 180, "weight_empty_g": 1500, "action_type": "lever_delayed_blowback"}