Calling All AUGtists: A3 M2 Questions

After much deliberation, I have decided to get back into the platform after a very unsavory experience with an AUG during the covid stock cracking situation. Steyr could have handled it way better but I am aware that a lot of manufacturers were stretched extremely thin during those years. For the couple hundred rounds I did manage to get through it, I was extremely impressed with how it shot and handled.

Anyways, it seems the one and only rail option available is the longg top rail: nothing like the short one on the A3 M1. I am ideally going for the classic AUG look, am I pretty much out of luck if I'm trying to accomplish this? Can't the top rail still be removed to attach the 3X optic directly onto the rifle? What options do I have? Thanks in advance for any help on this.

TLDR: are there short rail options for the A3 M2, and if not, can the OEM rail be completely removed to attach the steyr 3x optic?