Posted on 08/21/2017 10:15:19 PM PDT by Perseverando
Original caption: "Marine Cpl. Alfredo Ibarra from Laredo, Texas, attached to the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, fires an M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle (IAR) during a combat-marksmanship program weapons exercise on the flight deck of the amphibious dock landing ship USS Ashland (LSD 48)." Image credit: US Navy, Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jonathan Clay, public domain.
The United States Marine Corps has issued a new acquisition notice for up to 50,814 M27 Infantry Automatic Rifles (IAR), to be sole sourced from Heckler & Koch. The notice is technically not a solicitation in and of itself, but a pre-solicitation notice, intended to give other companies the chance to submit their own proposals or bids if they think they can meet the same need at a lower cost. From the solication:
This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals. However, any responsible source who believes it is capable of meeting the requirement may submit a capability statement, proposal, or quotation, which shall be considered by the agency, only if received by the closing date and time of this notice. A determination not to compete the proposed requirement based upon the responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government.
It is not yet known exactly what model will be procured under this contract. Since the delivery of the original M27 IAR, Heckler & Koch has produced a number of improved models of the HK416 rifle upon which the M27 is based. These models feature substantial differences from the original, for example an entirely new (and more industry standard) lower forging in the HK416A5. Whichever weapon these second batch M27s will be based upon, they will surely retain the same salient aspects of the original M27, including its heavy barrel and GI bayonet lug mount.
This news follows Marine Corps evaluations of the M27 IAR as a standard issue infantry rifle, issued to 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, as well as the release of an RFI for 11,000 new IARs. This new acquisition notice will no doubt raise further speculation that the Marine Corps is preparing to “pure-fleet” the M27 in replacement of the M4 Carbine, even as the Army is pursuing a new 7.62mm select fire rifle.
Waiting to see how the US arms industry will influence Congress to stop this.
The military needs a individual weapon than will penetrate level four armor.
Right now, armor is advancing faster than projectile weapons.
No valid reason for them to do so.
HK has licensed production of their designs before, and having the weapons made in the United States should be on the table.
I bought an HK91 made in Brazil back in ‘84.
Members of the public should be able to freely purchase select-fire weapons such as this....it’s what the 2nd amendment was meant for.
My great grandpa once bought a Thompson machine gun and had it shipped to him by US Mail. This was before they assaulted the 2nd amendment :-/
My grandpa eventually sold it for a good bit of cash...because it was legally transferable with a 200 dollar fee... he said he wished his dad had bought a dozen of them.
I think he also had an old BAR, it may still be in a storage shed somewhere on his property.
My father really liked his Thomson and his BAR he had in Korea.
He wondered how he carried that M1 up and down all that terrain.
Dang it - Thompson
Those are heavy guns...and I’d want to carry plenty of ammo as well.
I’d have wanted a Thompson with lots of clips and even a drum or two...and a 911 since they use the same ammo.
The Garand isn’t full auto but is very well built.
When all else failed in North Korea, Dad went with his Primacord and stuff, lol.
Everyone I have ever known who went to Korea said it was hell.
Especially after the Chinese came in and Truman wouldn’t let MacArthur chase them back into China.
Extraordinary men doing extraordinary things. Unbelievable.
God bless your dad!
If he is still alive tell him I said so :-)
“I think he also had an old BAR, it may still be in a storage shed somewhere on his property.”
If you send me the location I’ll help you find it. :)
“He wondered how he carried that M1 up and down all that terrain.”
It’s not hard when you dont have the burden of body armor. :-)
I put one together a few years ago for $700.
Well,that's why God created the head shot.
“Members of the public should be able to freely purchase select-fire weapons such as this....it’s what the 2nd amendment was meant for.”
Eh, a $200 tax stamp isn’t much of an impediment after almost 100 years of inflation. It does make it harder for the wrong elements to easily get them - do we really need Antifa armed with fully automatic weapons?
All that said, full auto is vastly overrated anyhow. The armed forces may be able to afford and supply the vast quantities of ammo required, but in almost all situations semi-auto, aimed fire is far more effective. Three rounds a second of aimed fire easily beats twenty rounds a second of “spray and pray”.
$200 tax means nothing now that it’s illegal to own one made after 1986.
Prices of old used transferrable MGs are >20x what new would be if not for 922(o).
Thank you. Lost him (and eventually) mom several years ago.
Life was better when they were around.
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