British Army Begins Issuing the New SA80A3 Rifle

By Tactical-Life

Back in 2016, the British Ministry of Defence introduced a prototype of its SA80A3 rifle at the Defense Vehicle Dynamics exposition held at Millbrook Proving Ground in Bedfordshire. The weapon was the intended replacement for the SA80A2, the standard issue service rifle for the British Armed Forces. Now, the MoD has announced the British Army has officially begun fielding the SA80A3.

Enhancements

In a press release, the MoD said the SA80A3 is being upgraded from the SA80A2 as part of its Mid Life improvement (MLI) project. This project will “ensure” the rifle is equipped with the “enhancements” it needs to have a service life that extends to 2025 and beyond. Those enhancements include the following:

• A more durable hardwearing coating in a “Flat Dark Earth” colour offering better camouflage in a range of environments.
• The A3 is 100g lighter than the A2 and has …Read the Rest

  Source:: Tactical Life