British Army SA80 A3 fielding begins
Fielding of the first tranche of upgraded SA80 A3 rifles to the British Army has begun, the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on 11 April.
Heckler and Koch is upgrading the British Army’s SA80 A2 handheld assault weapon to the A3 model, to extend the rifle’s service life until at least 2025.
The upgrades include a more durable hardwearing coating in a colour offering better camouflage in a range of environments. The new A3 model will be 100g lighter than the A2 and will have a more streamlined fore grip making the weapon easier to handle.
The rifle will also have a bracket to secure new low light sights which can clip on or in front of the day sight without the need to remove it. These sights are smaller, lighter and require fewer batteries while operating just as effectively in low light/night conditions.
Major General Colin McClean, director land equipment at the MoD’s Defence Equipment and Support organisation, said: ‘The SA80 is a battle proven weapon used by the UK armed forces on operations all over the world. The upgrade will build upon the rifle’s state-of-the-art features enhancing accuracy and consistency. The Mid Life Improvement project will ensure that our troops have the right equipment at the right time.’
The MLI project will see 5,000 weapons upgraded initially with the intent to upgrade more weapons in the future. The fielding of the first tranche started in February 2018.
More from Land Warfare
-
Information advantage: what is a data fabric and why is it essential for armed forces?
In Conversation: Shephard's Gerrard Cowan talks to Systematic’s Chris Harris about the vital importance of data fabrics in the networked battlespace, and how this capability can already be provided by existing technology.
-
DSEI 2025: Teledyne takes wraps off autonomous launch recovery box for drones
Teledyne FLIR Defense revealed the SkyPad fully autonomous quadcopter launch and recovery box at AUSA in Washington DC last year. The SkyCarrier is the production version of the system and is designed for the launch and recovery of the company’s SkyRaider and SkyRanger uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs).
-
Inside Pearson Engineering’s £8 million investment in future-ready manufacturing (Studio)
Pearson Engineering’s home, Armstrong Works, has been an engineering hub for almost 200 years, delivering critical capabilities for the UK Armed Forces and customers around the globe. The company is now investing for the future, to meet customers’ evolving requirements for a battlespace defined by data and autonomous systems.
-
DSEI 2025: Versatile 8×8 vehicles taste success as new versions rolled out
From protected mobility, infantry fighting and reconnaissance to armoured personnel carrier, armoured vehicles and amphibious assault, the 8×8 vehicle is a jack-of-all-trades. In theory, it allows a single vehicle type to fulfil varied roles while providing commonality, and the European market and vehicle types are growing rapidly.
-
Leonardo, ARIS, ST Engineering Team Up to Revolutionise Defence
Mission ready, unmatched performance and superior flexibility.