[KIT UP] The U.S. Army has chosen Heckler & Koch to make its new Compact Semi-Automatic Sniper System.
The March 31 contract award to Heckler & Koch Defense Inc. -- worth up to $44,500,000.00 -- allows the Army to purchase a maximum total of 3,643 Compact Semi-Automatic Sniper System (CSASS) units, according to an announcement on FedBizOpps.gov.
In June 2014, the Army released a request for proposal to invite gun companies to build compact versions of the service’s 7.62mm M110 Semi-Automatic Sniper System.
Part of the goal of the effort was to arm snipers with a rifle that doesn’t stick out to the enemy as a sniper weapon. The M110, made by Knight’s Armament Company, is easy to recognize since its 46.5-inches with suppressor, more than 13 inches longer than the M4.
The CSASS is also intended to provide improved reliability, accuracy and ergonomics, according to the request for proposal. The CSASS is also designed to have reduced felt recoil and better suppressor performance.
The minimum ordering obligation for this contract is 30 CSASS units to be used for production qualification testing and operational testing which is scheduled to take 24 months, according the award announcement. |