FNH USA SCAR 16S Patrol Rifle

In 2003 the United States Special Operations Command approved a Joint Operational Requirements Document launching a search for a rifle that would satisfy the multifaceted needs of our special forces. By this time some of the luster had worn off the relatively new M4 carbine that many of these troops were issued. Problems with reliability, service life, and fouling from extended firing convinced officials that we needed to supply our Special Operation Forces (SOF) with a better weapon. What they needed was a new rifle without the shortcomings of the M4.

The criterion for the new weapon was assembled by the same men that use these weapons in combat-operators who know the faults and idiosyncrasies of issue rifles as well as their strong points. The wish list that they developed would be a veritable dream gun for SOF troops.

In 2004, FN Herstal, the company that already produces the M16 rifle, M249 light machine gun, and M240 machine gun for the U.S. military, won the Special Forces Combat Assault Rifle (SCAR) solicitation. In all cases, FN’s weapons met the requirements and, in many more, exceeded them.

The SCAR-L (light) is chambered for the 5.56x45mm NATO round and the SCAR-H (heavy) fires the more powerful 7.62x51mm NATO round. The FN SCAR system was produced in small numbers initially for testing and just recently has been deployed with operational units.

U.S. Marine Corps Selects HK IAR Candidate as Replacement for FN M249 SAW/LMG

Marine Times (a.k.a. Marine Corps Times) is reporting on the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) selecting the Heckler & Koch Infantry Automatic Rifle–or HK IAR, for short–to replace the FN M249 SAW/LMG (Squad Automatic Weapon/Light Machine Gun). The HK IAR is a 5.56×45mm NATO (5.56mm NATO) gas piston/op-rod AR-15-config carbine that’s based on the HK416 carbine/SBR (Short Barreled Rifle) platform.

The IAR is designed to give FN M249 SAW/LMG-type capability in a lighter-weight rifle/carbine package that’s not only easier for mobile infantry warfighters to carry and employ/deploy than an M249, but also give them an similar weapons signature to the rest of the fire team/rifle squad, so they’re harder to identify, and thus target, by enemy forces. The enemy will tend to go for (i.e. kill) the machine gunner first, in order to render the fire team less lethal and effective. The IAR camouflages the infantry automatic rifleman, and his ballistic capability.