Thursday, March 28, 2024

British Army awards Heckler & Koch with $95M contract for SA80 rifle upgrade

The British Army has awarded Heckler & Koch a $95 million contract for SA80 rifle upgrade.

According to Grant Turnbull from Jane’s International Defence Review, UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) is set to receive up to 44,000 upgraded L85A3/SA80A3 rifles over the next four to five years.

“A notice was issued on 28 October stating that the MoD intended to award NSAF Limited, a UK subsidiary of Heckler & Koch, a contract worth up to GBP75 million (USD95.6 million) to modify and supply 44,000 upgraded 5.56×45 mm SA80 rifles,” said Grant Turnbull.

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The A3 variant is designed to be 100g lighter than the SA80 A2 rifle and features a more streamlined foregrip for easy handling. Also A3 upgrade fixes issues with the over-rotation of the selector lever, adds a new upper receiver and refurbishes the lower.  A new custom forend from H&K has been added and a full-length top rail improves optic mounting.

The army-technology.com reported that modifications to the weapon will involve painting it with a more durable ‘flat dark earth’ coloured Cerakote coating that would help minimise both the visual and infra-red impact. This will provide operators with better camouflage capability in a range of environments.

The SA80 is a British family of 5.56×45mm NATO small arms, all of which are selective fire, gas-operated assault rifles.

The first prototypes were created in 1976, with production ending in 1994. The A1 variant was significantly upgraded in the early 2000s by Heckler & Koch as the SA80A2 and remains in service as of 2018. The A3 variant was first issued in 2018.

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Executive Editor

About author:

Dylan Malyasov
Dylan Malyasov
Dylan Malyasov is the editor-in-chief of Defence Blog. He is a journalist, an accredited defense advisor, and a consultant. His background as a defense advisor and consultant adds a unique perspective to his journalistic endeavors, ensuring that his reporting is well-informed and authoritative. read more

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