SOF Combat Assault Rifle [SCAR]
MK16 SCAR-L / MK17 SCAR-H
Initially, SOCOM supported the development of the XM8 together with the Army, but decided to purchase its own rifle. The Special Operations Combat Assault Rifle [SCAR] gives the SOF Operator a Weapon that is Specifically Designed for SOF By SOF.
SCAR will improve mission performance of SOF by providing them with a reliable and accurate rifle. This will be a weapon of maximized lethality, superior to the M4A1 through versatility, fire control and target acquisition both day and night during CQB and to ranges of 800M.
USSOCOM's SCAR Program is providing the first, truly modular, and reliable assault rifle designed and built from the ground up for the finest fighting forces in the world. It is intended to be reliable and accurate, and use a variety of calibers, interchangeable components [the threshold is 5.56mm NATO standard]. Initially it will be acquired in two configurations – SCAR-L and SCAR-H with evolutionary variants (Sniper) and (CQB). SCAR replaces the MK11 (SR-25 7.62 sniper rifle), the MK12 (SPR), the CQBR (10-inch upper from SOPMOD), the M4A1 Carbine and the M14 (in use at WARCOM).
The SOF Combat Assault Rifle Light (SCAR L), 5.56x45mm assault rifle will serve as the baseline weapon from which a SCAR Family of Weapons will be developed. It is the intent of the SOF Combat Assault Rifle (SCAR) Program to procure for the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) the most reliable, rugged, accurate, safe and ergonomic weapons available. The SCAR Family of Weapons will share ergonomic commonality and the highest degree of parts commonality possible.
The SCAR Light [SCAR L] is a 5.56x45mm semi-automatic and full-automatic shoulder fired weapon. SCAR L will be the first increment of the SCAR Program’s Spiral Development process. It is not required that the SCAR L be modular for variation in caliber, rather the SCAR L be optimized for the 5.56x45mm variants. The SCAR L will have the ability to interchange different barrel configurations to form three variants: Close Quarters Combat (CQC), Standard (S), and Sniper Version (SV).
The SCAR L will be adaptable to three separate barrel lengths for varying mission requirements (T). The standard barrel will have the length necessary to accurately engage targets to 500 meters while maximizing terminal effects (T). The CQC barrel will have the length necessary to accurately engage targets to 200 meters while maximizing terminal effects (T). The Sniper Variant (SV) will have a barrel length optimized to accurately engage targets to 800 meters and beyond while maximizing terminal effects (T).
The SCAR Heavy [SCAR H] will possess the ability for caliber modularity (open architecture platform), while still designed around the baseline caliber of 7.62x51mm (alternate calibers are known to be 7.62x39mm). Future enhanced calibers will also be considered.
SCAR Requirements
Reliability, Availability, and Maintainability (RAM) requirements include MRBS (Mean Rounds between Stoppage) - 2000(T) and 8000(O); MRBF (Mean Rounds between Failure) – 15,000(T) and 50,000(O); Service Life (Weapon): 15,000 (T) and 90,000 (O); and Service Life (Barrel): 10,000 (T) and 50,000 (O). Modular System: SCAR-L 5.56mm (T) and SCAR-H 7.62mm (T). Additional barrel for each variant will allow current and future ammunition (O). Accuracy: SCAR-L: 70% hit ratio on 500m point target – 600m area target (T) and 600m point target - 800m area target (O) SCAR-H: 70% hit ratio on 600m point target – 800m area target (T) and 800m point target – 1000m area target (O). The SCAR-L and SCAR-H will not add more than 1 MOA (minute of angle) @ 300m (T) and not more than .25 MOA @ 300m (O).
The SCAR will be developed in two threshold configurations, a SCAR-Light (SCAR-L, 5.56x45mm) and a SCAR-Heavy (SCAR-H, 7.62x51mm) with the SCAR-L being the priority. Both the SCAR-L and H will possess the capability for barrel modularity and thus will be available in the following variants: Standard (S), Close Quarters Combat (CQC) and Sniper Variant (SV). The SV can be a modular enhancement or a separate weapon. The barrel modularity can be accomplished via complete upper receiver changes or just the barrel. The SCAR-L will be optimized for 5.56x45mm and thus will use an enhanced 5.56mm magazine. The SCAR-H will provide an open architecture design to accommodate changing calibers from the standard 7.62x51mm. The initial caliber change is projected as the 7.62x39mm. The ergonomic and parts commonality between the SCAR-L and H will be maximized to create a family of SCAR weapons. This commonality is essential for training time reduction, enhancing mission effectiveness, and improving the SOF operator?s ingrained operational and emergency procedure autonomic responses that are critical during high stress situations.
The SCAR system will be rugged, highly reliable, controllable in full automatic fire, have no unsafe failure modes, be highly ergonomic, corrosion proof (objective)/resistant (threshold), capable of lube-less firing (objective)/minimal lube firing (threshold), and capable of being operated and maintained by a single man.
The SCAR-L with stock collapsed or folded will not exceed lengths of 29.9in/33.6in extended with standard barrel. The SCAR-L will weigh no more than 7.25 lbs unloaded. The SCAR-H will be collapsible or foldable to lengths not greater than similar configurations of currently available 7.62mm battle rifles (30.3 in folded / 40.2 in extended with standard barrel). The SCAR-H will weigh no more than 9 lbs.
The following are the Key Performance Parameters for the SCAR: Adaptability, Modular/Family of Weapons, Reliability and Accuracy. The SCAR barrels/caliber will be readily exchanged at operator level, without head space/timing adjustments, within 20 minutes, threshold (T), 5 minutes objective (O).
The SCAR-L and H, in threshold caliber configurations (5.56mm NATO and 7.62mm NATO) with M855 and M80 ball ammunition respectively (T), spirally developed/alternate caliber configurations (O), will have a Mean Round Between Stoppages (MRBS) of 2,000 rounds (T), 8,000 rounds (O).
The SCAR-L and H, in threshold caliber configurations (T), spirally developed/ alternate caliber configurations (O), will have a Mean Round Between Failure (MRBF) of 15,000 rounds (T), 35,000 rounds (O).
The SCAR-L and H, in threshold caliber configuration/ball ammunition (T), spirally developed/alternate caliber configurations (O), will have a fully functional service life without overhaul for a minimum of 15,000 rounds (T), 90,000 rounds (O) for the weapon and 15,000 rounds (T), 35,000 rounds (O) for the barrel.
The SCAR, in threshold configuration (T) and all caliber/barrel configurations (O), will not add more than 1.0 MOA at 300 meters (T), .25 MOA at 300 meters (O) to baseline (M855, MK262, M80, M118) ammunition performance
The SCAR will also be compatible with the SOPMOD Accessory Kit components via MIL-STD 1913 rails. It is envisioned that the SCAR weapons will be available with a sling, bipod, forward handgrip, blank firing capability and an operator's manual. The SCAR will have a rigid MIL-STD-1913 rail at the 12:00 position running continuously from the rear sight to the front sight, which may be mounted to the upper receiver or integral to the weapon (T). The 12:00 rail will number the slots in alternate even numbers running the extent of the rail from back sight to front (T). The SCAR will also have additional MIL-STD 1913 rails at 3:00, 6:00, and 9:00 in the fore-arm/hand guard area (T). All rails will be capable of maintaining the bore sight alignment (T). The MIL-STD 1913 rails will be mounted to the weapon to maximize; rigidity (no loss of zero due to rough handling), independence from the barrel (no interference with the natural harmonic vibrations of the barrel during firing), and provision for mounting future 6:00 subsystems more closely to the gun barrel (decrease in offset between the 6:00 subsystems and the axis of the bore) (T). SOPMOD/MWS items mounted on rail system will not be blocked or interfered with by other SCAR components/features (T). The SCAR L will be compatible with the Enhanced Grenade Launcher Module (EGLM) (T). SCAR in any barrel length configuration will mount the EGLM 40mm grenade launcher on 6:00 position (T). The rail interface will be capable of withstanding the recoil forces generated by firing the 40mm grenade launchers with a cartridge producing a pressure of 230 bar (T). The SCAR rails will exhibit no detectable shift in zero, when the EGLM 40mm weapon is fitted to the SCAR L, and during firing of the EGLM (T).
SCAR Contract Award
The SCAR program was conducted in a full and open competition -- operator envisioned, tested, and chosen with full operator involvement . It was developed to provide the flexibility to match the way SOF operations are conducted -- with an increased need for modularity and reliability that reduces maintenance, improves effectiveness, and maximizes the efficiency of weight carried by Operators
On on 5 November 2004 USSOCOM announced that the winner for the initial SCAR contracts was FN USA, the US-based subsidiary of the famous Belgian company Fabrique Nationale Herstal. FN Manufacturing LLC, located in Columbia, SC, is a precision machining manufacturer specializing in the production of small arms. Products include M16 and M240 machine guns, M249 SAW, and the FNP Polymer 49 pistol for military and law enforcement markets. The FN SCAR rifles are not based on any previous weapons but designed from scratch. The SCAR will be built at the FN Manufacturing LLC, plant in Columbia, South Carolina, which employs approximately 500 people. FN Manufacturing LLC, is a precision machining manufacturer specializing in the production of small arms. Their products include the M16 rifle, M240 machine gun, M249 SAW, and the FNP Polymer 49 pistol for military and law enforcement markets.
The program originally had four increments which have been condensed based on early demonstrations of the SCAR-H prototypes. The condensed increments allow the production and fielding of the SCAR-H concurrently with the SCAR-L. The increments are:
1. Increment #1: Development of SCAR-L with integrated EGLM and development of SCAR-H
2. Increment #2: Ensuring EGLM Compatibility
3. Increment #3: Production of the SCAR in Enhanced Calibers as Directed by USSOCOM and the Integrated Product Team. Development of the EGLM and 40mm ammunition enhancements
4. Increment #4: Continue Development of SCAR and EGLM Capabilities
Feature SCAR L SCAR H
Caliber 5.56x45 NATO 7.62x51 NATO
7.62x39 M43
others
Overall length 850 mm (open)
/ 620mm (min) 997mm (open)
/ 770mm (min)
Empty Weight 3.5 kg 3.86 kg
Rate of fire 600 RPM 600 RPM
Magazine capacity 30 20 (7.62x51)
/ 30 (7.62x39)
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ ... d/scar.htm
Comments please.
It is 5.56mm