Re: The next French rifle might well be German ...
Posted: Fri Sep 09, 2016 9:01 am
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I'm not interested in a flame war on the matter, we're not the only ones to have used C8's, the Dutch and Danes have too. It seems to make a bit more sense, but pushing to dangerous usage like with the last SLR's does not surprise me either. It was a thought and I guess we'll know when we know.Fedaykin wrote:It is a nebulous question, one choice could be L85AX. HK can supply new receivers so I don't see why they couldn't supply the guts of the rifle as well. That means we don't have to change all the infrastructure from training aids through to rifle racks. Then again it is a heavy and ergonomically compromised rifle.
So I would agree AR platform is most likely these days, my money would be on Colt Canada C8. It is already in service with UK armed forces and is apparently popular. The documentation is in place for the rifle already and it is known to be a good implementation of the core design. Then again our defence agreement with France could have bearing, operating the same rifle as them has real synergies. Putting in an order at the tale end of production for France could offer real savings, we could even embed troops with the French army beforehand to build up operational experience and doctrine not unlike what we are doing with the F-35 fighter jet by deploying pilots with the USN, USMC and Aeronavale.
Don't be surprised to see the 2025 date pushed to the right, the Army has other expensive stuff to buy and with the reduced size of the forces might get away with pushing it back. A major driver will be sustainability of the rifles, you can only repair them so much before they are too worn out. By all accounts the SLR at the end of their lives were increasingly dangerous to use due to the high round count through them. Also I guess its one we put under how long is a piece of string?
So those are my thoughts and opinions on the matter, sadly anything SA80/L85 has a nasty habit of degenerating into flame war but I am happy to have grown up debates about it.
polemass wrote:As everywhere..big players in weapons industry divided the market for very own interest?Cars,drugs,rifles,apples-what's the difference?-big fish rule...
Well since I mused about it there have been some interesting developments, firstly the contract for the HK416 is rather different to what I assumed. I assumed the French would go for a big bang model and buy two or three large tranches over a five to ten year period replacing all the rifles as soon as possible. The deal is instead 16,000 units per-annum for thirty years with associated support and spares, that is far more similar to what the Americans do and will mean the FAMAS replacement will be spread over many years with by the end of the thirty year contract the early HK416 being replaced with new ones. This is good news for HK, they were suffering financial problems so now they have a juicy thirty year contract to keep the factory busy.Sixshot6 wrote:
I'm not interested in a flame war on the matter, we're not the only ones to have used C8's, the Dutch and Danes have too. It seems to make a bit more sense, but pushing to dangerous usage like with the last SLR's does not surprise me either. It was a thought and I guess we'll know when we know.
Sort of says it all about the original design, one of the reasons for the move to 5.56 was a lighter rifle could be designed, with the SA/80 they managed to come up with a heavier rifle than the rifle it replaced. After hundreds of thousands of pounds spent they managed to turn a piece of crap into a usable rifle.It is along the lines of what I suggested but does not sort out the weight or ergonomics issues.