OFB OFFERING ARMY NEW ASSAULT RIFLES
Link :- http://www.indiandefensenews.in/2016/02/ofb-offering-army-new-assault-rifles.html
Nagpur: After tests carried out on the indigenously developed 5.56mm assault rifle at Mhow, Madhya Pradesh, over a month ago proved to be successful, the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) hopes that it may be soon accepted by the Army. At the same time, the first batch of indigenously developed Bofors type guns may be dispatched to the Army in March, said OFB director general AK Prabhakar.
He was in the city to attend the valedictory function at National Academy of Defence Production, which trains officers joining the Indian Ordnance Factory Service (IOFS) cadre.
The assault rifle is expected to replace the current 5.56 Insas rifle, which is the standard issue weapon for the Army since the mid-1990s. The Insas, which is also an ordnance factory product, was often reported to be inferior to the AK-47s used by militants.
Over a couple of years ago, the Army had invited offers for rifles with interchangeable barrels but did not get any response from global players. In the meantime, since the Army is looking for single barrel rifles now, OFB is also pushing this gun developed jointly with DRDO.
OFB "Trichy Assault Rifle" is a Multi Caliber Individual Weapon System (MCIWS) which incidentally looks like a Hybrid version of the AR-15 & M4 Rifles
"The assault rifle is going to be the owner's pride and neighbour's envy," said Prabhakar while addressing the NADP function. Later, speaking to newspersons, he said that the process is at an advanced stage. "The tests were successful and it is hoped that the Army will accept it," he said.
A source in the OFB added the current Insas available with the Army is technically not an assault rifle. The new weapon being developed by OFB has rapid fire feature, matching it with the AK-47. The ordnance factory has also developed an assault rifle of 7.62mm calibre, which is being offered to the para military forces.
Prabhakar said that apart from the 155x45 mm calibre howitzers based on the Bofors guns, which will reach the Army in March,
the OFB has also developed a 155x52 mm gun, which is a higher version. It was test fired recently at Pokhran. This gun has a higher range than the 155x45mm calibre and was made by improvising the existing 130mm guns available with the Army.
The ordnance factories are carrying out production orders worth Rs13,000 core, which the OFB plans to take to Rs15,000 crore the next year and Rs. 20,000 core the year after, said the OFB Chief.
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In this article the TRICHY rifle is given with a caption that it is an MCIWS . Is it a typo of OFB has seriously turned it into an MC Rifle ??
