United States Special Operations Command, HERSTAL, Belgium: The United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) announced today that it conducted the third critical design review for the Special Operations Forces Combat Assault Rifle (SCAR) with FN Herstal since the contract award on 5 November 2004.
USSOCOM's SCAR Program is providing the first, truly modular and reliable assault rifle designed and built from the ground up for the finest fighting forces in the world. The critical design review was spearheaded by the Naval Surface Warfare Center-Crane Division (NSWC-CD), Crane, Indiana, and supported by USSOCOM Operators.
FN Herstal displayed several improvements to the existing platform, including a SCAR version in the 'flat, dark, earth' color representation, an anodized aluminum upper receiver rail colored in 'flat, dark, earth,' a polymer lower receiver version and a concept model of the EGLM. As in the previous Critical Design Reviews, FN Herstal provided SCAR rifles in various configurations including a 20″ barreled 7.62 SCAR-Heavy (SCAR-H).
Troy Smith, SCAR Program Manager said, “With the third critical design review, we continue to emphasize the importance of Operator involvement side- by-side with FN Herstal and Operator developers that will continue throughout the lifetime of the program. We continue to make changes to improve this weapon through an iterative process. In the end, we very much look forward to providing the Operators designed for them in mind with the best solutions technology has to offer.”
Throughout the meetings, the developer worked side-by-side with the Operators for an iterative design process. The team was able to make immediate changes and improvements to prototypes and designs. Operators tested the weapons on the range to gauge the initial capabilities of what they had previously outlined in the requirements.
The program originally had four increments which have been condensed based on early demonstrations of the SCAR-H prototypes. The condensed increments allow the production and fielding of the SCAR-H concurrently with the SCAR-L.
The SCAR will be built at the FN Manufacturing LLC, plant in Columbia, South Carolina, which employs approximately 500 people. FN Manufacturing LLC, is a precision machining manufacturer specializing in the production of small arms. Their products include the M16 rifle, M240 machine gun, M249 SAW, and the FNP Polymer 49 pistol for military and law enforcement markets.
The USSOCOM plans, directs, and executes special operations in the conduct of the War on Terrorism in order to disrupt, defeat, and destroy terrorist networks that threaten the United States, its citizens and interests worldwide. USSOCOM organizes, trains, and equips special operations forces that are provided to the Geographic Combatant Commanders, American Ambassadors and their country teams.
The Naval Surface Warfare Center-Crane Division, the center responsible for the SCAR program testing, is located in Crane, Indiana. NSWC-CD is a shore command of the United States Navy under the Naval Sea Systems Command headquartered in Washington D.C. The focus of NSWC Crane is to harness the power of technology for the Warfighter. NSWC-CD specializes in the Acquisition and Fleet support of Electronics, Ordnance and Electronic Warfare products and systems.
The Herstal Group, a 2500-person strong corporation, employs nearly 900 people in the United States. The Herstal Group includes Herstal, the parent company and two main subsidiaries: FN Herstal, active in the Defense and Law Enforcement fields, and Browning specializing in hunting and shooting, marksmanship and outdoor sporting goods. The Herstal Group is headquartered in Liege, Belgium.
