US Army funds HK417 as squad marksman rifle
The US Army has announced funding for the acquisition of over 5,000 rifles as part of its Squad Designated Marksman Rifle (SDMR) programme, which will utilise the Heckler & Koch HK417.
The FY19 Budget revealed the SDMR as a new start programme for the next fiscal year with $46.2 million currently assigned. This funding will support the procurement and fielding of 5,180 7.62mm off-the-shelf rifles according to budget documentation.
Unit cost will be close to $9,000 a rifle accounting for the hardware itself, programme management, training and logistics support.
The new start programme could be overlooked as it is filed
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