Arctic Weapon: British commandos will receive a new assault rifle L403a1 (video)

These weapons are designed to replace the outdated L85A2 rifle and intended to increase the combat capabilities of units that perform complex tasks in extreme conditions. The new weapons were told on February 5 by Army Recognition. A new rifle was developed for units that perform combat missions in harsh climatic conditions, such as the Arctic. L403A1 is a modern evolution of the AR-15 platform with a 13. 7-inch heavy barrel.

It is designed on the basis of KS-1 (SR-16) from Knight's Armpet Company and uses a cartridge 5. 56 × 45 mm NATO. The rifle is equipped with a short -term piston system, which increases its reliability and reduces the pollution of mechanisms compared to the gas system. The weapon has a completely ambidexster management system. The descent of the store, the shutter delay and the fuse are mirror on each side of the barrel, which significantly improves rifle ergonomics.

L403A1 is equipped with a heavy barrel with weight loss, which helps to increase the accuracy of firing and allows a longer fire. The length of the barrel is 13. 7 inches, and the total weight of the weapon is 4. 35 kg. Among the key features of the rifle: the replacement of L85A2 rifles, which has been in service since the 1980s, is due to the fact that weapons have been repeatedly criticized for the complexity of service, ergonomics and weight.

Therefore, the transition to L403A1 is a step to a more maneuverable and reliable weapon that meets the requirements of the modern war. The observers noted that the L403A1 tests took place within the framework of the winter deployment, which involves more than 2000 servicemen. This confirms that the United Kingdom is betting on the modernization of weapons and preparing for fighting in the harshest conditions. Earlier, Focus translated the article of the former Air Force officer Christian D.