The plan to procure the Canadian Modular Assault Rifle (CMAR) has languished on the military’s equipment list for years but was sped up after the government of Prime Minister Mark Carney poured $93.3 billion into the Department of National Defence this year.
CBC News first reported on the plan in December. The formal announcement, however, was made Thursday at the Colt Canada factory in Kitchener, Ont.
The 65,402 rifles are being ordered in two tranches.
The first will involve the order of 30,000 general service (GS) rifles over the next three years. That portion of the contract is worth $307 million.
The second — to begin four years from now — will involve the purchase of an additional 19,207 GS variants plus 16,195 full spectrum rifles, which are specifically designed for front-line combat and urban warfare.....