M4/M4A1 new military contract

[HELLSING]

I'm not sure if anyone has read, or even has an interest in this, but I like to keep tabs on what the military is using weapons wise. Pretty interesting.

http://kitup.military.com/2013/02/army-awards-m4m4a1-contract-fn.html

 

[Harrison]

Thanks, its good to know that our troops are getting upgraded M4s, and that FR is producing them.

 

[LVSteve]

So it's official, the army is stuck with a gun that shoots a marginal round and poops where it eats for the foreseeable future. I don't doubt that the M4A1 is a more reliable weapon that some of its predecessors, but at some point the US and NATO are going to have to bite the bullet (preferably a bigger one) on their standard rifle round of the future. That said, the current world economic woes make that unlikely for some time.

The GAO decision on the Colt objections makes interesting reading. Initially the contract went to Remington, but after the Colt protests it ended up with FN. I wonder how that result was taken in the Colt boardroom.

 

[R. G. Amos]

While these are manufactured here, it still represents tax dollars going to Belgium. I am not sure Colt can stay in business without military sales. Maybe China can set up facilities here and produce our military rifles.

 

[HELLSING]

Colt won for PiP barrels’s and front sight assemblies. So they aren't sitting around grilling hot-dogs and drinking beer.

Not to mention they have the contracts for the M45, M249. Colt isn't going anywhere... but like I keep telling some of my friends... regardless of how many years Colt was used in service, there's yet to be any proof or statistics that other companies aren't more than qualified/and or better suited for the job as well.

If they are better rifles for the troops and could possibly make a difference of a life in a fire fight... who gives a **** where the money goes.