A recent report by The Times looking at the UK-led Operation Interflex, an international effort training Ukrainian personnel in the UK, featured a plethora of new photos that suggest the UK has now procured IWI Galil Ace Rifles to aid in the training of Ukrainian troops.
Previously, the UK procured a range of AK-pattern rifles in various calibres for use on Op Interflex these have also been supplemented by the purchase of a quantity of Bulgarian Arsenal AR-M9F, 5.56x45mm chambered rifles.
The new photos were taken by Richard Pohle, at a British Army training area in East Anglia and subsequently published by the Ukrainian General Staff. The UK Ministry of Defense states that more than 54,000 Ukrainians have been trained during Op Interflex.
The Galil Ace rifles seen in the photos are ACE 23s, the 5.56X45mm chambered variant with an 18.2in (463mm) barrel. These use Galil-pattern magazines rather than NATO STANAG magazines. The rifles are seen equipped with blank firing adaptors and in some photos what appears to be modules for laser engagement training systems.
Incidentally, the Ukrainian military is no stranger to Galil Ace pattern rifles having fielded a small number of Fort 228 rifles between 2012 and 2019. These are Galil Aces with markings from Ukrainian manufacturer Fort, their may have been some assembly of the rifles in Ukraine, under license similar to the Fort-marked Tavors used by elements of the Ukrainian armed forces.
The Galil Ace shares a number of design features with AK-pattern rifles and shares some of the same manual of arms. The Galil Ace, however, has a last round hold open, smaller selector levers and ambidextrous features such an ambidextrous charging handle. The UK likely selected the rifle due to some feature commonality, it’s availability and ability to mount a blank firing adapter.
Given the length of the training operation and it’s high tempo, with most Interflex infantry courses lasting around seven weeks, it is unsurprising to see additional rifles being fielded. It’s unclear when the Galil Aces were acquired for Interflex and these photographs are the first time they have been seen publicly.
For more on Op Interflex and the rifles used to train Ukrainians in the UK, check out our earlier articles/videos: UK Purchases AKs To Train Ukrainian Troops, UK Has Procured Chinese AKs to Train Ukrainian Troops & Ukrainians Training with Bulgarian Arsenal AKs.
Update -14/6/25:
Update – 15/7/25: Ukraine’s General Staff shared photos from Ukrainian personnel training with Galil ACE rifle in the UK.
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The Armourers Bench 