Very interesting article from UKArmedForcesCommentary about the MOD asking for designs for a new 5.56mm assault rifle. I hope i'm allowed to post a link to the blog too, he makes some very good observations about the requirements posted.
Blog:
UK Armed Forces Commentary
Source:
Supply of Modular Assault Rifle System - Government Tenders, Government News and Information - Government Online
I don't particularly know much about the details of modern assault weaponry so I can't really effectively comment on the article but I have to say that I (and many others undoubtably) didn't think we'd see anything of this sort of release for many years and it certainly is unexpected, but i'm of the opinion that this is very very very VERY preliminary blue-skying about what type of weapon would be available should the MOD think about future replacement - if it actually progresses that is.
Mmm...
"Delivery is desired from April 2014 at the earliest, and should be completed by February 2016 at the latest. The contract is for as many as 30.000 rifles."
It's not an SA80 replacement on numbers and speed of delivery alone - the training system for the British Army couldn't turn around that fast and we have plenty of working and recently upgraded SA80's.
*However* the list of potential users is interesting.
"— The Metropolitan Police Authority and Service as established under s5B of the Police Act 1996,
— A Police Authority or Force established under s3 of the Police Act 1996,
— A Police Authority or Force established under s2 of the Police (Scotland) Act 1967,
— The Northern Ireland Policing Board and Police Service of Northern Ireland,
— Future Police Commissioners,
— Future Police and Crime Panels,
— The Civil Nuclear Constabulary and Police Authority as established under the Energy Act 2004,
— The Ministry of Defence Police and Police Committee as established under the Ministry of Defence Police Act 1987,
— British Transport Police and Police Authority as established under the Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003,
— MOD Cyprus Sovereign Base Areas Police and Gibraltar Defence Police forces,
— The Home Office, including its Agencies,
— The National Policing Improvement Agency,
— The Serious Organised Crime Agency,
— The future National Crime Agency,
— The Foreign and Commonwealth Office,
— A Security Service as established and defined under the Security Service Act 1989,
— An Intelligence Service as established and defined under the Intelligence Services Act 1994,
— Police Forces of all Crown Dependencies,
— Police and Military Forces of all British Overseas Territories as defined in the British Overseas Territories Act 2002."
British *TRANSPORT* Police? Cor...Tickets...give me your tickets now, OR YOU WILL BE RIDDLED WITH BULLETS...
I'm reading this as a replacement for the G36, the HK PDW carried by the MOD and a range of other firearms in use by various agencies - it's not intended to be a front line combat weapon for regular army or spec forces even.
Looks like they're specifying rails for sights etc, lots of general firearms goodness so I'm guessing an overhaul for the "tasked with operations other than war" operations and as such it'd be a fair old step up.
