The United Kingdom has announced the selection of the Knight’s Armament Company KS-1 as the new individual weapon for the new Ranger battalions and the Royal Marines Commandos. The requirement for the new rifle was released back in August 2021, and called for the “procurement and support of an Armalite Rifle (AR) platform Alternative Individual Weapon (AIW) System.”
The requirement called for a ‘Rifle System’ which comprises the weapon and a ‘Signature Reduction System’ [suppressor] and an ‘Optic System’. The rifle itself had to be ‘gas operated with a rotating, locking bolt’ and was to specifically have “a standard configuration, not bullpup, with the magwell in-front of the trigger housing.”
The UK launched Project Hunter to select a new Alternative Individual Weapon (AIW) to replace the SA80/L85 series of rifles and Colt Canada L119s in service with the Rangers and elements of the Royal Marines Commandos. After two years of competition the UK MoD has announced that Knight’s KS-1 has been selected as the L403A1, beating off reported competition from Heckler & Koch, SIG Sauer, Daniel Defense and Glock.
Other weapons believed to have been evaluated include the HK416A5, the SIG Sauer SPEAR-LT, the Daniel Defense M4 and Glock’s GR-115F. Other companies believed to have submitted rifles include Colt Canada, Lantac, Haenel and Steyr amongst others.
The new rifles will supplement the L85A2 and L85A3 which currently equip the majority of the UK armed forces. The rifles will be procured via UK-based company Edgar Brothers and the £90 million ($110 million) contract will see up to 10,000 new rifles delivered over the next decade. An initial £15 million order for 1,620 AIW systems has been placed with the British Army fielding them with the Army Special Operations Brigade, with the brigade expected to receive the first rifles by the end of 2023. The Royal Marines’ ‘strike companies’ and Surveillance and Reconnaissance Squadron will also be among the first to receive the L403A1. The ‘Alternative Individual Weapon’ essentially fulfils the same role every AR-pattern rifle in UK service has since the 1960s.
The UK’s Minister for Defence Procurement, James Cartlidge said:
“This is another example of how we are committed to investing in the most advanced battlefield equipment to back our troops on the battlefield. This advanced rifle’s ability to help soldiers maintain the stealth edge not only protects them but delivers war-fighting advantage over our adversaries.”
Interestingly, the UK Ministry of Defence’s press release emphasises that as an AR-pattern rifle the L403A1 “shares much in common with the rifle systems used by many of the UK’s allies. Given their specialist role, and the critical task of working with and alongside many of the UK’s allies, the platform will enable ASOB to share skills and drills in an efficient manner.”
So what does the Alternative Individual Weapon (AIW) system include?
The system builds around the Knight’s KS-1 but also includes a magnified 1-10 LPVO optic from Vortex, an Aimpoint ACRO P-2 red dot and the Knight’s QDC/MCQ-PRT suppressor. The prime contractor for the project, Edgar Brothers, are responsible for the sourcing and assembly of the AIW’s accessories. Accessories for the rifle will include a MAGPUL M54 sling, a Surefire Mini Scout Light Pro, G10 rail scales and a MAGPUL M-LOK AFG.
The KS-1 is the latest iteration of the SR-16 series, it has a 13.7in (35cm) barrel and weighs 6.88lbs (3.1kg) unloaded, its overall length is 32.2in (82cm) with the stock collapsed and 34.2in (87cm) extended. The QDC/MCQ-PRT weighs an additional 13.9oz and adds just over 2 inches to the weapon’s length. The rifle uses a direct gas impingement system (or more correctly described as Stoner’s internal piston system).
The selection of the new rifle forms part of the Royal Marines’ larger modernization push under the Commando Force Programme alongside a new helmet from Gentex and Fused Binocular Night Vision devices from L3Harris.
We got our first indication of the KS-1’s selection in June, when the Royal Marines published a new recruitment advert featuring the rifle. It was also subsequently seen during a demonstration at Lulworth Ranges in July.
While the British military have used AR-pattern rifles since the 1960s in various roles, Project Hunter and the Alternative Individual Weapon represents a major procurement and it remains to be seen how it will influence Project Grayburn – the effort to select a replacement for more than 150,000 SA80s.
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Bibliography:
Alternative Individual Weapon (AIW) System Tender Aug. 2021, UK Govt. (source)
£90 million contract equips Armed Forces with advanced new rifle, UK MoD (source)
Britain’s Commandos to get new assault rifles, Royal Navy (source)
Knight’s KS-1, Knight’s Armament Company, (source)
UK Selects New Assault Rifle, Overt Defense, (source) [This article is adapted from this original article]
The Armourers Bench 