The SA80 (Small Arms for the 1980s) is a British family of 5.56×45mm NATO service weapons used by the British Army. [4] The L85 Rifle variant has been the standard issue service rifle of the British Armed Forces since 1987, replacing the L1A1 Self-Loading Rifle. The prototypes were created in 1976, with production of the A1 variant starting in ...

Oct 13, 2024 · The SA80 consists of the L85 rifle, the L86 light support weapon, the L22 carbine, and the L98 Cadet rifle.

Jan 16, 2025 · Rebecca Paul, Conservative MP for Reigate, asked the Defence Secretary for an update on plans for a successor to the L85A3 rifle. Maria Eagle, Minister of State for Defence, responded: “The L85 rifle (‘SA80’) will be replaced over …

May 1, 2024 · Heckler & Koch's upgraded L85A2 was a weapon that worked, and its next A3 upgrade made it an even better fit for modern warfare.

May 20, 2017 · In the early part of the Bradley program, the U.S. Army had insisted on “fire ports” in the sides of the vehicle. This was a feature directly copied from the Russian BMP series APCs.

Nov 1, 2019 · In 1954, the United Kingdom adopted its first truly new infantry rifle in half a century: the L1A1. The L1A1 replaced the legendary Lee Enfield bolt action rifle, which had served through two...

May 29, 2023 · In this form, the new rifle (formerly “Individual Weapon”) and machine gun (aka Light Support Weapon or LSW) were approved for service in 1984. This was a year later than the most recent target date that had been set and came with the acknowledgement that the weapons had issues still to be addressed.

Apr 30, 2024 · With a fully automatic capability and a large 30-round magazine, the L85 – part of the SA80 family of weapons including the L86 Light Support Weapon and L98 Cadet GP rifle – looked to be a good choice for the Armed Forces.

May 24, 2017 · It quickly became clear that a shortened version of the L85 rifle could be made, which would be more suitable for troops who would previously have been issued submachine guns – notably aircraft and armored vehicle crews. Today we take a look at a couple early prototypes of these carbines which did not go into production.

Nov 19, 2018 · In the mid-1980s, the United Kingdom became the first major NATO power to adopt a so-called “bullpup” assault rifle. The L85A1 Individual Weapon was unique in that it placed the rifle’s operating...