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2017-04-02
SHOOT FOR THE TOP: MODERN ASSAULT RIFLES
The basic individual soldier's firearm today is an assault rifle, that is, a military rifle firing an “intermediate” cartridge with selectable fire control.
Every country has a different classification system, but the intermediate cartridge seems to have won over most militaries. With the advent of Picatinny rails, standardised ammunition calibres, and new plastic materials, today's assault rifle has evolved beyond expectations.
Below is a selection of current rifles available on the global arms market.
Canada's C8 Colt Carbine rifle
The C8 carbine is popular with vehicle crews, police and special operations forces due to its short barrel and adjustable stock. It is now employed by armed forces and police units worldwide as their standard issue battle/patrol rifle.
The original 5.56 mm gas impingement system has been battle proven in harsh combat environments, from Arctic snow and ice, to desert sands, for over 25 years in the C8 configuration and even longer for the Colt US carbine.
One of the most significant developments is the cold hammer-forged heavy barrel, which gives the C8 a much longer service life than other AR systems. The C8 can be custom-configured to meet any operational requirements. Barrel lengths in 10” or 11.6” CQB, 14.5” C8A3, or 15.7” SFW, along with the many accessory and sighting options are available to create a weapon system flexible and adaptable to small arms requirements.
This weapon is fed from 30-round capacity magazines. It is also compatible with C7/M16 magazines, as well as all standard STANAG magazines. It can accept other assault rifle magazines, such as Heckler & Koch G36, Steyr AUG and Tavor.
The Caracal 816
The United Arab Emirates' Emirates Defence Industries Company (EDIC) has released the Caracal 816, the latest M4 derivative on the global small arms market.
In 2016, Caracal and Wilcox Industries unveiled their first integrated tactical rifle system, the CAR816-A2, with a Fusion System Kit, designed for the defence and security market with commercial application.
This tactical rifle features a short stroke, push-rod gas piston operating system, controlled by an adjustable gas block with three positions – supressed, unsupressed and a setting for operating in adverse conditions. Wilcox’s Fusion System Kit (a lightweight module rifle forearm system that hosts a quick-change battery compartment within the grip), can be integrated into the manufacturing process of the CAR816-A2. This system powers a red dot sight, integrated visible laser, IR laser and a fixed IR illuminator. It is co-aligned with one windage and elevation knob to boresight the system.
The FN M16A4
The FN M16A4, using safe/semi/burst selective fire, became standard issue for the US Marine Corps (USMC) and is currently issued to Marine Corps recruits. The FN M16A4 is an M16A2 with a removable handle and full-length quad picatinny rail. The M16A2 weapon system was developed by USMC request, to improve on the M16A1. It went into large scale production in 1987. Improvements included a thicker barrel in front of the front sight, modified flash suppressor (closed at bottom), new polymer buttstock (lighter and stronger, faster barrel twist (from 1:12 to 1:7), and spent case deflector for left-handed users.
The M16A4 is chambered to fire the 5.56x45mm (.223) NATO cartridge. It is a select fire rifle having semi-automatic and three-round-burst fire capabilities. Cartridges are magazine fed, and firing is achieved via a direct impingement gas operating system.
The L85A2
The L85A2 is currently a standard-issue infantry weapon with the British Forces. It is an upgraded variant of the original L85A1assault rifle, adopted by the British Army in 1984 as a standard infantry weapon. The original L85A1 assault rifle had some reliability and performance issues. In general it was quite unreliable and troublesome to maintain. So the British MoD launched an upgrade program to address these shortcomings. The upgrade program was completed by Germany's Heckler & Koch company. Between 2000 and 2002 about 200,000 rifles were upgraded to the L85A2 standard.
It is a gas operated, selective fire rifle with bullpup layout. The main advantage of the bullpup layout is the overall compactness of the weapon. Internally this weapon is generally similar to the US Armalite AR-18. A total of 110 parts were modified by Heckler & Koch. The upgraded L85A2 is now recognised as a reliable and accurate weapon.
There are quad Picatinny-type accessory rails on the foregrip for various add-ons. It is often fitted with vertical grips, tactical flashlights, laser pointers, and other accessories.
Thales EF88 / F90 Assault Rifle
The EF88 is the latest iteration of the long-serving F88 Austeyr; this updated weapon has been designed and produced more than 20 years after the first F88 rifles entered service in Australia, and over 35 years since the Steyr AUG on which it is based was first designed in Austria. A version of the EF88, with several minor differences, is marketed globally by Thales as the F90.
Unlike all previous versions of the Steyr AUG, the F90 has non-removable barrels, is cold-hammer forged and externally fluted. Standard F90 rifles are offered with 50 cm / 20” barrels; other versions include carbines with 40 cm / 16” barrel and CQB variants with 36 cm / 14.1” barrel. Other clearly visible changes include an extended Picatinny rail at the top; a bottom rail has replaced the original folding forward grip of the Steyr AUG / F88. A third accessory rail is mounted on the right side of the weapon.
MKEK MPT-76 automatic rifles
The MPT-76 was developed in the late 2000s by MKEK as a next generation service rifle for Turkish use. Produced in only one version, it has barrel lengths of 12, 16 and 20 inches. The MPT-76 is hard to distinguish from the German HK 417, since layout and features are similar. The large detachable carry handle and polymer angled grip are unique features, but are removable accessories as well.
The MKEK MPT-76 rifle is a gas operated, select-fire weapon. It features a quad Picatinny rail on the forearm and a retractable polymer stock. A removable carry handle and polymer angled grip in front of the magazine well give the MPT-76 a distinctive appearance. The MPT-76 fires the 7.62x51mm NATO round from a 20 round magazine. It is a select-fire rifle, although its caliber makes full automatic fire of limited use.
The rifle is equipped with telescoping, adjustable shoulder stock. An integral Picatinny rail on top of the receiver can host an aperture-type rear sight, as well as quick-detachable carrying handle with “see-through” channel for standard iron sights plus its own set of iron sights for short-range applications, built into the top of the handle. The carrying handle can be easily replaced with any type of red-dot, telescope or night sight with appropriate mountings. Additional Picatinny rails on the forend permit mounting of various accessories.
Beretta ARX-200 Automatic Rifle
The ARX 200 automatic rifle is a new weapon system designed to meet the latest operational criteria in terms of ergonomics, lethality, accuracy and range of engagement, designed at the request of the Italian army. The ARX 200 is fully ambidextrous, and fully integrated with accessories and sighting system.
The weapon is a direct competitor to modern 7.62x51mm infantry / special forces rifles such as the FN SCAR-H, HK 417 or MKE MPT-76. The Beretta complements 5.56mm ARX-160 assault rifles in service with the Italian army, and will be offered for export. The 7.62x51mm Beretta ARX-200 rifle is externally similar to the smaller 5.56mm rifle, but is of different design. A dedicated Designated Marksman Rifle (DMR) version with longer barrel and semi-automatic only trigger will be offered as well.
FN SCAR family of 5.56 and 7.62 assault rifles
In 2004, United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) issued a solicitation for a family of Special Forces Combat Assault Rifles, the so-called SCAR, designed around two different calibers, featuring high commonality of parts and identical ergonomics. FN Herstal won the contract.
The FN SCAR is the rifle of choice for demanding combat units, including amphibious teams, and special forces, along with regular army and law enforcement officers. It can be fitted with a quickly interchangeable standard or CQC barrel, and an optional underbarrel or stand-alone 40mm grenade launcher. The FN SCAR family also includes a 7.62mm precision rifle, which can be used as a Marksman or Sniper Support Rifle. The FN SCAR-H CQC assault rifle is chambered in 7.62x51mm NATO caliber, and fitted with a short 13" barrel, for close quarter combat.
Operators can replace the short barrel with a standard 16" barrel in less than five minutes, if the mission requires engagement at longer distances. The rifle is then called FN SCAR-H STD.
The FN SCAR-H CQC can befitted with a FN40GL-H grenade launcher, mounted on the lower rail of the rifle, for additional firepower. For the first time in history, electronics is integrated into the product, generating its own power. The new FN SmartCore shot counter for the FN SCAR is a no-battery device which detects firing of the weapon by using the rearward movement of the moving parts - hence, requiring no battery and no maintenance.
HK416F
In September 2016, the French Defence Ministry's procurement department awarded Heckler & Koch a large contract to supply its HK416F as the new standard French assault rifle. After being in service with the French Army for over 30 years, the old "FAMAS" assault rifle is to be succeeded by Heckler & Koch’s modern HK416F as the "Arme Individuelle Future (AIF)".
The contract calls for the supply of 102,000 HK416F 5.56mm x 45 NATO assault rifles, 10,767 HK269F 40mm x 46 grenade launchers, accessories, ammunition, spares and support services over fifteen years. The HK416 versions HK416F-C with an 11" barrel and HK416F-S with a 14.5" barrel will serve France in future.
The HK416 in various configurations is in service with many special forces around the world. In addition to Norway, France is now introducing the HK416 as the standard assault rifle for its Armed Forces.
AK-100
It’s hard to imagine the AK-47 ever becoming obsolete. The AK-100 series is proof that Russia’s greatest export will always endure.
The critical difference that separates the original Cold War-era AK’s and the 100-series are the latter’s black polymer folding stock, an improved foregrip, the universal muzzle brake, and varied calibers. While the Russian military has embraced the AK-74M – an all black finish AK-74 – in traditional 5.45mm, succeeding variants are chambered for NATO 5.56x45mm, 5.45x39mm, and 7.62x39mm.
Although not designed for mounting Picatinny rails, the new AK’s do support their own tactical accessories. AK and AKM rifles are widely exported to the pro-Soviet countries and regimes all around the world. Manufacturing licenses along with all necessary technical data packages were transferred (for free or at nominal fee) to many Warsaw Pact countries. Certain 'non-communist', but friendly countries, such as Egypt, Finland and Iraq, also received manufacturing licenses.
Future of Assault Weapons
When one considers the shift from conventional wars to low-intensity urban conflicts, the radical changes in how rifles are built and designed seems inevitable. This explains why rifles of the past decade are not only recognised as daring ideas made real–universal weapon systems with interchangeable parts – but as feats of ingenuity.
Reference Text/Photo:www.fnherstal.com,www. modernfirearms.net,www.rogueadventurer.com,www.wikipedia.org,
www.heckler-koch.com,www.berettadefensetechnologies.com,www.thalesgroup.com
www.heckler-koch.com,www.berettadefensetechnologies.com,www.thalesgroup.com
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