British Army awards £90m contract for L403A1 AIW rifle.

The L403A1 AIW (Alternative Individual Weapon) rifle has been added to the arsenal of the British Army, specifically for the Army Special Operations Brigade (ASOB). This weapon is part of a £90 million contract and is expected to enhance the operational capabilities of British troops.
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Royal Marines commando with L403A1 (Picture source: Royal Navy )

The L403A1 AIW is a modern development of the ArmaLite Rifle (AR) platform and is procured under Project HUNTER by Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S). The rifle operates on gas with a rotating bolt and features a standard configuration with the magazine well located in front of the trigger housing. This design choice aligns it more closely with the weapon systems used by many of the UK's allies, thereby facilitating easier sharing of skills and drills.

One of the features of the L403A1 is its muzzle signature reduction system, which makes the rifle more discreet both visually and audibly. This signature reduction system is essentially a suppressor that works in tandem with an optical sighting system. The optics package includes a magnified 1-10 LPVO optic from Vortex and an Aimpoint ACRO P-2 red dot, providing the user with the ability to effectively engage threats from greater distances.

In terms of technical specifications, the L403A1 is the latest iteration of the SR-16 series. It has a 35cm barrel and weighs 3.1 kg when unloaded. The overall length of the rifle is 82cm with the stock collapsed and extends to 87cm when extended. The rifle uses a direct gas impingement system, more correctly described as Stoner's internal piston system. Additionally, the QDC/MCQ-PRT suppressor adds just over 5 cm to the weapon's length and weighs an additional 4 kg.

An initial £15 million order for 1,620 AIW systems has been placed, with the option to procure up to 10,000 systems over the next decade. These rifles will initially be fielded to the ASOB which operates in complex, high-risk environments, and are expected to receive the first batch by the end of 2023.