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SUSAT
(Sight Unit Small Arms Trilux)
5.56x45 - 4x - UK - SA80






Starting in 1970 the SUSAT was developed along side the SA80 bullpup starting in a project that would become known as the Enfield Weapon System (EWS). Developers recognized that the shortened sightbase of a bullpup would make accurate fire using ironsights diffcult and therefore made the development of a new optical sight a priority. Some of the earliest mockups of the SA80 included mockups of the SUSAT scope, and when the first twelve test weapons for the SA80 familiy were produced starting in 1972 they included an early version of the SUSAT, unoffically called the Type 1 SUSAT (Raw, 2003).

RARDE (Royal Armament Research and Development Establishment) continued development of the SUSAT and in 1978/79 when the still in development SA80 (then known as the XL64) was submitted to NATO ammunition trails the rifles included an updated version of the SUSAT now designated the XL9E1. The XL9E1 swapped the inverted aiming post reticle used on the Type 1 (a holdover from the SUIT scope) for a more traditional non inverted aiming post reticle (Raw, 2003).

Finally adopted as the L9A1 (or L12A1 when fitted to its mount) in 1985, mass production was carried out by United Scientific Instruments Ltd of Coventry. The scopes were manufactured using a one piece pressure diecast aluminium body. The focus was fixed, with the only moving part being the adjustment knob for reticle illumination. Aim adjustments were done on the scope mount. Illumination was accoplised by use of 4.7GBq Tritium gas. Shortly after adoption scope bases were found to have issues with holding zero due to the azimuth screw and nut coming loose during firing, this was evetunally resolved by use of lock nuts in combination with lock washers (Raw, 2003)

Other than the afore mentioned upgrades to the azimuth screw the SUSAT would remain in British service for decades largely unchanged. The scopes would see limited use with other nations including Spain and Sweden.













Images



Non-functional mockup rifles and scopes. These were made during initial studies for a new bullpup rifle and scope.



Type 1 scope as seen on early "double 0" test rifles produced in the early 70s in 4.85mm.



Improved XL9E1 scope sometimes refered to as the type 2. Photo on far left is from NATO ammunition trails.



With Spanish soldiers on Ameli machine gun.



With Spanish soldiers on CETME LV rifle.



With Swedish soldiers on AK5 rifle.



With Bolivian soldier on SA80 rifle.



With British soldiers on SA80.



With British soldiers on L110 machine gun.



With UK soldiers training Peshmerga on .50 cal machine gun.



Reticle.


Serial Numbers



Serial Code Year Images Notes
125695 AVL 1988 1 Probably from Spanish contract for CETME LV rifles.
133005 AVL 1988 1



References

Raw, S. (2003). The Last Enfield. Collector Grade Publications.




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