Tag: M16A4

Canada To Supply Ukraine with More Than 20,000 Rifles

On 11 April, Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, announced that Canada would provided Ukraine with “21,000 5.56mm assault rifles” and 2.4 million rounds of ammunition. This latest round of security assistance brings the value of Canada’s aid to Ukraine to CAD 8 billion ($6 billion). The official announcement stated:

The new military assistance package includes 21,000 5.56mm assault rifles, 38 7.62mm machine guns, and over 2.4 million rounds of ammunition to support these weapons as well as small arms already in use by the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

The statement, which the Canadian Department of National Defense confirmed, noted that the small arms would be “sourced from Colt Canada”, meaning that the weapons would not be coming from the Canadian Armed Forces’ own stocks. The announcement also noted that the: “donation comes from the remaining funds across the Government of Canada’s various funding envelopes for military assistance to Ukraine.”

Ukrainian SOF with Colt Canada C8 carbines (via Social Media)

In terms of previous small arms donations, Canada has provided a range of weapons. These include 100 Carl Gustaf M2 Recoilless Rifles, 7,500 hand grenades and up to 4,500 M72 LAW anti-tank weapons. Canada has also transferred C9 (FN Minimi) light machine guns, C6 (FN MAG) general purpose machine guns and an undisclosed number of Colt Canada C8 carbines.

When the new aid package was announced, there was considerable speculation about what models might be – C7 or C8s or perhaps the newer Colt Canada MRR?

One of the surprising weapons on Canada’s list of rifles for Ukraine – M4A1 carbine (US Army)

I enquired about the types of ‘5.56mm assault rifles’ that Colt Canada would be providing. A Department of National Defense spokesperson stated that the donation would include: “M4 carbines; M4 Commandos; M16A4 rifles; M5 carbines; and C8A2 carbines.” This is a surprising list as the C8A2 is the only weapon on the list manufactured by Colt Canada. Of the other weapons, the M4 and M16A4 are US military weapons, and the M5 is a rifle aimed at the international law enforcement and military markets offered by US-based Colt only.

We asked the Department of National Defense about the unexpected models listed, and they responded that: “we expect that the majority of the rifles will be manufactured and assembled at the Kitchener plant [Colt Canada’s facility in Ontario], though it is likely that they will need to source certain parts from their subsidiaries.”

An unexpected entry on Canada’s list of rifles for Ukraine – Colt M5 carbine (Colt)

It appears that Colt Canada will act as the vendor but call upon Colt in the US to provide components and perhaps complete weapons – both companies are part of the Colt-CZ Group. We also reached out to Colt Canada, who responded to our request for comment, saying:

We are honored to be part of Canada’s military assistance to Ukraine. Colt Canada will play an important role in the deliveries of assault rifles, machine guns, and ammunition to the Government of Ukraine. We are proud to be a strong and reliable partner to the Canadian government, in helping Ukraine to defend its national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Colt Canada declined to comment on the variety of weapons listed by the Department of National Defense and did not comment on the hypothesis that parts for the weapons would be drawn from across the Colt-CZ Group.

Ukrainian SOF with Colt Canada C8 carbines (via Social Media)

21,000 rifles is a considerable number of personal weapons. The average Ukrainian brigade size is around 4,000 personnel. We also have to factor in the considerable attrition rate experienced during heavy fighting but even so this supply of rifles could in theory perhaps arm three or four brigades. This is especially useful as Ukraine is currently raising new Army and National Guard brigades.

Another aspect to consider is spare parts for the weapons – as yet the Canadian government have not disclosed spares which might be provided. The Canadian Department of National Defense expects the delivery of the weapons “to be completed in the coming months”.

This article was based on an earlier article written by the author and published at TFB.

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M16A4s in Ukraine

On 12 January, a unit of the Ukrainian Army’s 47th Separate Mechanised Brigade (47 OMBr) was seen equipped with US M16A4s for the first time. The rifles were seen equipped with Trijicon ACOG optics and some, a considerable percentage, were seen with M203 40mm under-barrel grenade launchers, and of course rail covers.

Photo released by 47 OMBr in early January showing M16A4s in Ukraine for the first time (47 OMBr)

Previously, we have seen a considerable number of M4A1 carbines, some equipped with M320 40mm grenade launchers. This, however, is the first time we’ve seen the M16A4. Other elements of the 47 OMBr have been seen equipped with FN FNCs in 5.56x45mm. The 47 OMBr appears to be a unit which has largely been allotted western small arms and equipment. The brigade was formed in November 2022 and, as with a number of other new Ukrainian brigades, has been built up from a battalion (which was raised in August 2022) to a regiment to a brigade level formation.

A close up of an M16A4 with an ACOG and M203 UBGL and rail covers in Ukrainian service (47 OMBr)

The M16A4 is a 5.56x45mm, select-fire rifle which uses a direct impingement gas system and a rotating bolt locking mechanism. The M16A4 was developed in the late 1990s and entered service in January 1999. It and has seen service with the US Army, USMC and US Navy. The US Army began to move away from the M16A4 in favour of the M4A1 in 2011 while the USMC favoured the rifle’s 20 inch (50.8cm) barrel length and began replacing its M16A2 with A4s in 2002, only in October 2015 did they begin to transition to the M4A1 Carbine and latterly the M27 for infantry Marines. Despite this the M16A4, however, remains in widespread service use.

The photographs and short video where the rifles were seen for the first time were posted to commemorate a visit from members of Plast, Ukraine’s scouts organisation, who brought a lamp of the Fire of Peace to be lit with members of the brigade.

Another photograph was shared on the brigade’s social media on 22 January, showing a close up of an M203-equipped M16A4, which was also mounted with an ACOG. How many of these rifles have been transferred is unknown, the most recent US Department of Defense fact sheet on aid to Ukraine, published on 25 January, lists 13,000 assorted small arms.

An as-issued M16A4 service rifle with quad rail forend, railed receiver, ACOG and grip pod (US Army)

The rifles appear to be straight from US Army or USMC inventory and look to be in good shape. The rifles have been predominantly made by Colt and FN. None of the imagery has been close enough yet to see which manufacturer the now-Ukrainian rifles were made by.

I expect we will be seeing a proliferation of the M16A4 rifles just as we have the M4A1 carbines since the early summer of 2022. The 47 OMBr probably won’t be the only unit to field them and we’ll probably be seeing many more of these in the future as the US military has considerable stocks of the rifles and production lines are still active. If and when we do, I’ll follow up with further videos/articles.

Update 20/03/23: Sergeant with Ukraine’s 47th Brigade seen armed with M16A4 equipped with M203 grenade launcher and an ACOG.

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Bibliography:

Marine’s Switch from the M16 to the M4, Marine Corps Times, (source)

Weapon Systems 2011, US Army, (source)

5.56 Chronology, D. Watters/LooseRounds, (source)

FN & Colt Will Compete for M16A4 Foreign Military Sales Contracts Worth $380 Million, TFB, (source)

Aid to Ukraine Factsheet, 25 Jan., US Department of Defense, (source)

47 Brigade, Markus Foundation, (source)