United Kingdom Royal Marine Commandos to get new rifles

Thomas D'Arcy McGee

Thomas D'Arcy McGee

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Britain’s Commandos to get new assault rifles

Royal Navy | News Release | 07 September 2023


https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-latest-activity/news/2023/september/07/230907-royal-marines-new-rifle

Britain’s elite Royal Marine Commando Forces will be stealthier and deadlier thanks to a new assault rifle. The Knight’s Stoner 1 (KS-1) rifle (designated L403A1) headlines a host of new kit additions for the UK Commando Forces in ‘lead strike teams’ – those responsible for raiding and amphibious operations worldwide.

More than a thousand of the new rifles have been bought from US producers Knight’s Armament Company and come with advanced optical and thermal sights as well as suppressor (silencer) systems to make Commandos harder to trace and more formidable in combat.

The Commando Force regularly deploys around the globe in all extremes of environment – arctic, desert and jungle – reacting to crises and conducting a range of complex operations, including counter piracy and terrorism, drugs busts and humanitarian aid and disaster relief.

It means there is a need to put top-end kit in the hands of these specialist warriors to give them the upper hand on the battlefield.

A new rifle, night vision goggles, tactical communications systems, battlefield vehicles and ‘survivability systems’, including new helmets, communications and suppressors which make the force more difficult to detect, are to be rolled out as the Royal Navy makes an initial investment in new kit for its elite, very high readiness fighting force, with plans for a longer-term procurement programme from 2024.

Captain Nick Unwin RN, Commando Force Programme Director, said: “Delivery of quality equipment such as we see today is a genuine increase in capability and capacity for the UK’s Commando Force Strike Teams and offers significant tactical advantage to the user.

“The Commando Force Programme is delivering change across all areas of amphibious operations; this is just one small part of the wider change programme we are all embarked upon as we adjust to evolving threats and challenges.”

Alongside this new rifle and a new helmet made by Gentex, Commando Forces will take delivery of the new Fused Binocular Night Vision Device produced by L3Harris, giving them a significant advantage over their adversaries in night-time littoral operations, or as they move in darkness through confined spaces during boarding operations.

Again, more than a thousand have been procured and the systems feature advanced low-light image intensification with a fused thermal input – which means the devices include both night vision and thermal sensor superimposed into a single image for the operator – that far outperforms older systems currently used by the UK’s Armed Forces.

Commando Forces are also exploring how to use the night vision kit alongside digital communications systems, providing a live feed to the goggles to help commanders assess the battlefield and make decisions.

Meanwhile, advances are being made with upgrades to the Sharpshooter rifle.

The Lewis Machine and Tool L129A2 rifle is an improvement on the well-established Sharpshooter with new Leupold scopes and HuxWrx suppressors, making it more accurate and quieter.

It is also equipped with an Envision Technology ballistic calculator and a Pixels-on-Target thermal sight. Each Commando Strike Team will comprise two designated expert shooters equipped with these upgraded rifles.
 
Thomas D'Arcy McGee said:
The UK is still using the old 5.56mm instead of upgrading to the 6.8mm!
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The Alternative Individual Weapon System for Royal Marines Commandos, Ranger battalions and other light forces was never intended to be a heavy hitting combat rifle. Their force employment and typical tasks don't necessarily require extended reach, fire power for direct combat against mass near-peer adversaries.

Light, reliable and capable for infill/exfill are going to be generally preferred.
 
Thomas D'Arcy McGee said:

Britain’s Commandos to get new assault rifles

Royal Navy | News Release | 07 September 2023


https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-latest-activity/news/2023/september/07/230907-royal-marines-new-rifle

Britain’s elite Royal Marine Commando Forces will be stealthier and deadlier thanks to a new assault rifle. The Knight’s Stoner 1 (KS-1) rifle (designated L403A1) headlines a host of new kit additions for the UK Commando Forces in ‘lead strike teams’ – those responsible for raiding and amphibious operations worldwide.

More than a thousand of the new rifles have been bought from US producers Knight’s Armament Company and come with advanced optical and thermal sights as well as suppressor (silencer) systems to make Commandos harder to trace and more formidable in combat.

The Commando Force regularly deploys around the globe in all extremes of environment – arctic, desert and jungle – reacting to crises and conducting a range of complex operations, including counter piracy and terrorism, drugs busts and humanitarian aid and disaster relief.

It means there is a need to put top-end kit in the hands of these specialist warriors to give them the upper hand on the battlefield.

A new rifle, night vision goggles, tactical communications systems, battlefield vehicles and ‘survivability systems’, including new helmets, communications and suppressors which make the force more difficult to detect, are to be rolled out as the Royal Navy makes an initial investment in new kit for its elite, very high readiness fighting force, with plans for a longer-term procurement programme from 2024.

Captain Nick Unwin RN, Commando Force Programme Director, said: “Delivery of quality equipment such as we see today is a genuine increase in capability and capacity for the UK’s Commando Force Strike Teams and offers significant tactical advantage to the user.

“The Commando Force Programme is delivering change across all areas of amphibious operations; this is just one small part of the wider change programme we are all embarked upon as we adjust to evolving threats and challenges.”

Alongside this new rifle and a new helmet made by Gentex, Commando Forces will take delivery of the new Fused Binocular Night Vision Device produced by L3Harris, giving them a significant advantage over their adversaries in night-time littoral operations, or as they move in darkness through confined spaces during boarding operations.

Again, more than a thousand have been procured and the systems feature advanced low-light image intensification with a fused thermal input – which means the devices include both night vision and thermal sensor superimposed into a single image for the operator – that far outperforms older systems currently used by the UK’s Armed Forces.

Commando Forces are also exploring how to use the night vision kit alongside digital communications systems, providing a live feed to the goggles to help commanders assess the battlefield and make decisions.

Meanwhile, advances are being made with upgrades to the Sharpshooter rifle.

The Lewis Machine and Tool L129A2 rifle is an improvement on the well-established Sharpshooter with new Leupold scopes and HuxWrx suppressors, making it more accurate and quieter.

It is also equipped with an Envision Technology ballistic calculator and a Pixels-on-Target thermal sight. Each Commando Strike Team will comprise two designated expert shooters equipped with these upgraded rifles.
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Interesting read. Cool kit too. But thinking outside of the box I think it's about time our "friendly" governments (if we can call them that?)...to stop telling the world where they buy their kit and who makes it for them!? It would seem to me if there were an enemy of the state out there somewhere , this would be very valuable information wouldn't it? Best way to slow things down would be to affect the supply chain of said vendors (now that ya know who they are!!?) making said equipment....thus stopping these advancements of military tech in their tracks before said kit even gets to the field for training......?

Yeah yeah I know... conspiracy theory and tin foil hat and all that.. but again I'm just thinking outside the box. And Oh yes, by the way ...I really loved the game "axe's and allies" when I was a kid and was dam good at it!!!
 
silver69 said:
Interesting read. Cool kit too. But thinking outside of the box I think it's about time our "friendly" governments (if we can call them that?)...to stop telling the world where they buy their kit and who makes it for them!? It would seem to me if there were an enemy of the state out there somewhere , this would be very valuable information wouldn't it? Best way to slow things down would be to affect the supply chain of said vendors (now that ya know who they are!!?) making said equipment....thus stopping these advancements of military tech in their tracks before said kit even gets to the field for training......?

Yeah yeah I know... conspiracy theory and tin foil hat and all that.. but again I'm just thinking outside the box. And Oh yes, by the way ...I really loved the game "axe's and allies" when I was a kid and was dam good at it!!!
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Thomas D'Arcy McGee said:
It is difficult to keep these types of rifles secret in an open society like the UK or Canada.
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Every nation should know its industrial capabilities and capacities for defence/security as well as the authority mechanisms to turn it on. It should also have a fulsome understanding of strategic lines of communication that not only includes supply of end products but also componentry, manufacturing materials, as well as design patent rights (if not domestic).

Having said that, this is talking about a small order of the Alternative Individual Weapon System (rifle and optics) which isn't really an important secret weapon or a key natural/material resource that needs to be protected, nor is it like the US buying Russian titanium through shell companies in the Cold War so it can build the SR-71 (to spy on Russians) :p

At the end of the day, we are talking about an individual rifle that complements the existing arsenal rather than some dramatic "game-changer that revolutionises warfare." Otherwise, we'd be going down the rabbit hole of making every logistical support node secret and every potential defence industry manufacturer will have to build bunker factories hidden or in remote locations to avoid sabotage or strike.
 
steamy teabag said:
Perfect rifle was already invented.

FN C1.
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I was trained on the FNC1A1, I found it to be a heavy rifle, that was using iron-sights instead a scope, wood forestock and buttstock instead of composites. Old Korean War issue, certainly not as good as the many new rifles like the C7 and C8, etc.

TDM
 
Thomas D'Arcy McGee said:
Yes, 5.56mm is the NATO standard; however, should NATO now consider upgrading to the 6.8mm? I think we should take a serious look at the 6.8mm!
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if bucks were flowing freely....wonder how many times reserve and reg force units get out to shoot per month. then ask that for all the NATO member states....big money there....not saying it doesn't have merit but it's billions of dollars across the board. tough to do when they are already giving away armaments to Ukraine.
 
Boltgun said:
all of NATO outside the US is using 5.56.....
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The us special forces learned in Afghanistan that they needed more power and range with their carbines and rifles. Thus the reintroduction of the M14 in sage stock etc. 6.8 makes perfect sense in longer range scenarios and when targeted those behind cover.
 
rajczak_kashka said:
The us special forces learned in Afghanistan that they needed more power and range with their carbines and rifles. Thus the reintroduction of the M14 in sage stock etc. 6.8 makes perfect sense in longer range scenarios and when targeted those behind cover.
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I can appreciate that. to bad the partner states didn't jump on that too. I don't disagree with you.
 
Well, that's another loss for Colt Canada - these folks weren't running around with SA80's, they were largely equipped with C8 variations (L119A1 and A2). Actually, maybe it isn't a loss, these days it's entirely possible that CC didn't submit anything for trials.
 
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Thomas D'Arcy McGee said:
Yes, 5.56mm is the NATO standard; however, should NATO now consider upgrading to the 6.8mm? I think we should take a serious look at the 6.8mm!
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6.8X54? That is a good GPMG round or maybe a SAW but the way US wants to use it also as a carbine round is questionable in the form of SIG M5 MBR to replace M4. What happened in Afghn was not the same as what it is going to happen in Ukraine and south east Asian islands. I am not sure running a MBR for everyone is good for mechanized warfare, Jungle in South Asia like Okinawa or sitting in or clearing trenches.

And there is also the the 6.5X43 lurking somewhere in the background.

As we can see in Ukraine, having a lot of drones to survey, drop bombs and to direct fire seem to be more important than having a rifle with an optic that shoots far and accurately. Armour penetration is great in the form of GPMG or even a SAW, but I have my doubt carrying less rounds and bigger rifles is the right approach for the current threat. I am not quite sure that's the way to go when we still need human to clear trench system ( or sit in the trench system ). Lessons coming out from Ukraine seems to be pretty old school - lots of grenades and lots of bullets to clear trenches and fighting positions at close range sitting inside the woodline. That circles back to the reason everyone dropped FN and M14 back in the 80's to go with 5.56. Maybe that's the reason USMC kinda say we will stick with M27 for now but we are not excluding M5 either, wait and see approach.

I would like to see all 7.62/6.8CR system replaced or retrofitted into 6.8X54, but 5.56 should stick around.
 
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Thomas D'Arcy McGee said:
Hi, pls explain?
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6.8x51 /.277 Fury is a (super) high pressure battle rifle cartridge.

The super high pressure is needed to get the required velocity out of the short barrel (13" is standard I believe).

The weapon requires an integral suppressor due to the blast, which then requires a shorter barrel to make it user friendly.

High pressure = shortened life span of the system - they are starting out by trotting out "regular pressure" training ammo, while "high pressure" 'war ammo' will be issued for combat.

Inevitably two identical but different ammunition types will lead to supply problems.

Larger & heavier cartridge= less carrying capacity by soldiers and smaller capacity magazines.

It's a giant circle of solutions to problems created by the solutions....

ie "free lunch"
 
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