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  • New sharpshooter rifle for British Army

    from janes
    UK selects 7.62 mm Sharpshooter weapon for Afghan ops
    Andrew White Jane's Land Reporter
    London

    UK forces are to receive a semi-automatic 7.62 mm x 51 mm 'sharpshooter' weapon to combat Taliban forces engaging beyond the maximum effective range of the 5.56 mm L85A2 assault rifle.

    In a USD2.5 million deal the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has contracted Law Enforcement International (LEI) to supply 440 LM7 semi-automatic rifles.

    The urgent operational requirement follows calls from troops on the ground for a weapon that can be comfortably patrolled with, can be rapidly initiated and provide an increased range for contacts out to 800 m.

    To be redesignated the L129A1, the gas-operated weapon carries a 20-round magazine, is 945 mm long and weighs 5 kg. It will be manufactured by Lewis Machine & Tool Company in the United States, with deliveries expected to begin in early 2010.

    Features of the weapon include a single-piece upper receiver and free-floating, quick-change barrels available in 305 mm, 406 mm and 508 mm. It has four Picatinny rails with a 540 mm top rail for night vision, thermal and image intensifying optics. Stock options include fixed or retractable versions.

    Industry sources told Jane's that LEI beat competition including Heckler & Koch's HK417 (already supplied to specialist units within the MoD), FN Herstal's SCAR (Special Operations Forces Combat Assault Rifle) and an offering from Sabre Defence Industries.

    To date UK soldiers must complete a marksmanship course to become qualified as 'sharpshooters' and are regarded as being a grade below that of a sniper. Following the introduction of Accuracy International's (AI's) .338-cal L115A3 sniper rifle, sharpshooters have been armed with AI's outgoing 7.62 mm L96 rifle. However, the latter's bolt action does not make it a suitable option for a patrolling soldier.

    With the majority of contacts occurring at either very close range or at ranges out to between 500 m and 900 m, the "only organic asset" available to responding UK forces in a small-arms capacity is the 7.62 mm General-Purpose Machine Gun, with MoD sources saying that "5.56 mm weapons lack the reach to engage the enemy at those ranges".

    "The 5.56 mm is sufficiently lethal at the right range, but troops need 7.62 mm for longer ranges. We should be looking at higher performance rounds with higher lethality at longer range. Research is going to filter into user requirements for the soldier system lethality programme," one MoD source told Jane's .



  • #2
    nice one Crag.

    our lads have been toying with different weapon systems as a DMR for a while now:






    (nice to see the lads in their new Multi-Terrain Pattern combats in this one)

    but if this beats the HK417 then we are on to a winner.

    i wonder if this means 'the Lewis' is back on the battlefield?!

    i look forward to hearing how it performs in action.
    Last edited by RoyalGreenJacket; 27 December 2009, 19:17.
    RGJ

    ...Once a Rifleman - Always a Rifleman... Celer et Audax

    The Rifles

    Comment


    • #3
      Originally posted by RoyalGreenJacket View Post

      (nice to see the lads in their new Multi-Terrain Pattern combats in this one)
      I've seen that picture before - it's SFSG lads wearing the original multicam pattern, not MTP.

      Comment


      • #4
        i'm not sure when this one was taken and my eyes aren't well trained enough to distinguish them apart but they [some SFSG and other units] are certainly wearing MTP now.
        RGJ

        ...Once a Rifleman - Always a Rifleman... Celer et Audax

        The Rifles

        Comment


        • #5
          some more pics of a Rifleman (from The RIFLES) with the British Army's new 7.62mm DMR:



          Last edited by RoyalGreenJacket; 18 January 2010, 20:22.
          RGJ

          ...Once a Rifleman - Always a Rifleman... Celer et Audax

          The Rifles

          Comment


          • #6
            Nice to see they went with a reflex sight on top of the ACOG. Should make it a useful weapon at all ranges (well, except bayonet range)

            Comment


            • #7
              the L129A1 Sharpshooter rifle has arrived in Afghan:

              www - new Sharpshooter Rifle deployed
              RGJ

              ...Once a Rifleman - Always a Rifleman... Celer et Audax

              The Rifles

              Comment


              • #8
                Royal Marines in Afghanistan, armed with the L129A1 aswell as the A2 and GPMG.



                Last edited by RoyalGreenJacket; 12 June 2010, 02:33.
                RGJ

                ...Once a Rifleman - Always a Rifleman... Celer et Audax

                The Rifles

                Comment


                • #9
                  RGJ are the new marksman rifles being introduced at platoon or section level?

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by smegers View Post
                    RGJ are the new marksman rifles being introduced at platoon or section level?
                    it's a section level weapon - 1 per section, or mission dependent 1 per fire-team.
                    RGJ

                    ...Once a Rifleman - Always a Rifleman... Celer et Audax

                    The Rifles

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by RoyalGreenJacket View Post
                      Royal Marines in Afghanistan, armed with the L129A1 aswell as the A2 and GPMG.



                      Jeez, they are getting more American looking by the day.
                      'He died who loved to live,' they'll say,
                      'Unselfishly so we might have today!'
                      Like hell! He fought because he had to fight;
                      He died that's all. It was his unlucky night.
                      http://www.salamanderoasis.org/poems...nnis/luck.html

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Flamingo View Post
                        Jeez, they are getting more American looking by the day.
                        except we have better uniforms and weapons than the americans.
                        RGJ

                        ...Once a Rifleman - Always a Rifleman... Celer et Audax

                        The Rifles

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Nice pix.. What are the issue boots yee wear nowadays? Re the tan ones.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            they are mostly Meindl Desert Fox however there are about 3 different makes of desert boot on offer and sometimes you get to choose but most are Meindl - i had the old model in Iraq and they were excellent and they still seem to be the soldiers choice in Afghan.
                            Last edited by RoyalGreenJacket; 13 June 2010, 00:19.
                            RGJ

                            ...Once a Rifleman - Always a Rifleman... Celer et Audax

                            The Rifles

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by RoyalGreenJacket View Post
                              they are mostly Meindl Desert Fox however there are about 3 different makes of desert boot on offer and if you are lucky you get to choose but most are Meindl - i had the old model in Iraq and they were excellent and they still seem to be the soldiers choice.
                              Thanks Bud.. Never had the Fox but had the Leather Army Pro for ten years.. Not great in slippery conditions but an excellent boot overall.


                              apologies to all for slightly going of topic.

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