Back in 2005, the U.S. Army's design for a new assault rifle, the XM8, was cancelled. But the manufacturer incorporated one of the key components of the XM8, into M4 rifles, and produced a hybrid, the HK 416. Heckler & Koch (H&K) designed the XM8, which was based on an earlier HK rifle, the G36. SOCOM is using the 416, but no one else is (except for a few police departments, and now Turkey).
The XM8 had one major advantage over the M16. The XM8 (like the G36 and 416) uses a short-stroke piston system. The M16s uses gas-tube system, which results in carbon being blown back into the chamber. That leads to carbon build up, which results in jams (rounds getting stuck in the chamber, and the weapon unable to fire.). The short-stroke system also does not expose parts of the rifle to extremely hot gases (which wears out components more quickly). As a result, rifles using the short-stroke system, rather than the gas-tube, are more reliable, easier to maintain and last longer.
HK developed the 416, for SOCOM, at the same time the XM8 was being evaluated by the army. SOCOM got the first 416s in 2004, a year before the army cancelled the XM8. The 416 looks like the M4, for the only thing that has changed is the gas system (that automatically extracts the cartridge after the bullet has been fired, and loads the next round.) SOCOM can buy pretty much whatever they want, the U.S. Army cannot. SOCOM listens to what its troops want, the army often doesn't.
The Turks tested 9,000 of the Mehmetçik-1's (built by local firm MKE) first, and the troops liked the weapon. Production is being increased, and the transition will begin next year. The Mehmetçik-1 is your basic 8 pound, 5.56mm weapon, with mounting rails for scopes, a hand grip forward of the magazine and using 30 round magazines.
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
Turkish Forces New Rifle The Mehmetçik-1
Turkish Forces New Rifle The Mehmetçik-1
(NSI News Sources Info) November 5, 2008: Turkey has selected a new assault rifle, choosing one that the U.S. Army rejected, but that the U.S. Army Special Forces (and the rest of SOCOM) have adopted. The new rifle is a slightly modified version of the HK 416. This weapon is basically the U.S. M4 assault rifle, with some of the components from the U.S. Army XM8 assault rifle (also rejected by the army). The new Turkish rifle will be called the Mehmetçik-1. It's manufactured with the cooperation of the German firm Heckler & Koch (HK).
Mehmetçik-1
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Taiwan Marines Flex Muscles
Taiwan Marines Flex Muscles
(NSI News Source Info) November 5, 2008 -Taipei: Taiwan's Marine Corps displayed amphibious beach assault capabilities and special warfare skills during a one-day exercise at Tsoying Naval Base, Kaohsiung, on Oct. 31. The exercise began with a demonstration by six new AAV-7A1 amphibious assault vehicles during a simulated beach assault.
Taiwan acquired 54 rebuilt AAV-7A1 RAM/RS (Reliability, Availability and Maintainability/Rebuild to Standard) amphibious assault vehicles in 2006 from the United States. The purchase included four AAVC-7A1 Command Vehicles and two AAVR-7A1 Recovery Vehicles. The AAV-7 vehicles now make up two companies in the 66th Marine Brigade in Linkou, northern Taiwan, and the 99th Marine Brigade at Tsoying Naval Base, southern Taiwan.
The Marines still operate four companies of 84 aging LVTP-5A1 vehicles acquired in the 1970s. At one time, Taiwan had 300 LVTP-5s in its arsenal.
United Defense LP Ground Systems won a $156 million contract in 2003 to supply the AAV-7s to Taiwan. The company provided remanufactured hulls, material support and test equipment, appliqué armor kits and litter kits. Work was done at the U.S. Marine Corps Logistics Command Depot in Albany, Ga.
The second part of the exercise involved the Marine Corps' Amphibious Reconnaissance Battalion (ARB) at the Urban Simulation Center. The facility is made up of a variety of buildings for close quarter combat. In a simulated assault, three teams belonging to the ARB's Special Service Company (SSC) landed by rubber boats along the coast. The teams climbed a rock face and attacked several buildings.
ARB's 600 troops make up seven companies: four reconnaissance, one underwater demolition and two SSCs.
Over half of the ARB members are "aboriginals," one Marine official said. "They are just tougher than city recruits. They volunteer and are eager for a military career," the official said. Aboriginals come from mountainous areas and are "used to the rural life."
About 458,000 aboriginals make up 14 tribes in Taiwan. They are linked genetically and linguistically to the Austronesian peoples and are famous for their early tradition of head-hunting, now abolished.
The ARB also displayed a two-man sniper team that demonstrated camouflage techniques. They were armed with a Remington M-24 sniper rifle and a Colt M-4A1 Carbine assault rifle.
ARB was created in 1995 when several Marine special operations units, including the SSC, were placed under the ARB as part of an overall force restructuring effort.
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