CPW 9x19mm compact submachine gun of ST Kinetics at Singapore AirShow 2018.

At Singapore Air Show 2018, ST Kinetics presents its full range of small weapons, as the CPW (Compact Personal Weapon), a multi-caliber submachine gun fully developed by the Defense Company ST Kinetics of Singapore as a PDW-class firearm. It's a cost-effective and compact sub-machine gun made of strong yet light engineering plastic and aluminum alloy.

ST Kinetics 9mm caliber Compact Personal Weapon  (Picture source Army Recognition)

The CPW has a conventional submachine gun layout with the magazine housed in the pistol grip. The pistol grip's backstrap and the 30-round magazine are molded from a translucent plastic which allows the shooter to quickly verify the remaining level of ammunition visually. The receiver is machined from a lightweight aluminum alloy and most of the other components are made of a high-strength polymer to further reduce weight and costs.

The CPW’s unique cam recoil mitigation mechanism reduces recoil significantly with delayed blow back operation for accurate and controlled firing. The retractable buttstock allows the CPW to be handled and carried like a conventional pistol for easy concealment for law enforcement and security forces.

The barrel and bolt assembly can be quickly replaced, converting the submachine gun to the small-caliber armor-piercing PDW ammunition.

The CPW is fully ambidextrous, it can be used with equal ergonomic ease by both right and left-handed shooters. Every single lever, control or toggle has been mirrored on the opposite side of the receiver – this includes the cocking handle, the fire control selector/manual safety switch (installed above the pistol grip) as well as the bolt release lever, which is used to slam the bolt closed after inserting a new magazine. The ejection port is located on the right side of the weapon.

The CPW has a collapsible metal stock that provides stability during aimed fire. When collapsed, the weapon is not much larger than a conventional pistol, allowing for easy handling and concealment; the CPW can be carried in a holster.

Two Picatinny rails are provided in the CPW for mounting sights and tactical accessories – one continuous rail runs across the top of the receiver and a second shorter accessory rail is installed under the barrel, in front of the trigger guard. The top rail can accommodate conventional iron sights or optoelectronic sighting devices such as reflex sights. The bottom rail is intended primarily for laser aiming modules, vertical grips and flashlights.

The CPW is chambered in 9×19mm Parabellum but the modular design of the weapon allows for a simple caliber conversion to either 5.7×28mm or 4.6×30mm. The 9mm caliber version weighs only 1.7kg but with performances and features comparable to or better than larger and heavier weapons of the same caliber. This submachine gun has a length of 393mm and 597mm with the telescopic buttstock fully extended. It uses 30 rounds plastic magazine.