US Army Issues RFI for 7.62 Interim Combat Service Rifle

U.S. Army Interim Combat Service Rifle shot — U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Paul LaVigne, Provincial Reconstruction Team Zabul commander, fires a 7.62×51mm NATO M14 Enhanced Battle Rifle at the range on Forward Operating Base Sweeney, Afghanistan, Dec. 19.

U.S. Army Interim Combat Service Rifle sharpshooter — A sharpshooter and other paratroopers from the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, provide security during a route-clearance patrol along Highway 1, July 23, 2012, Ghazni province, Afghanistan. His weapon is a 7.62×51mm NATO M14 Enhanced Battle Rifle.

Heckler & Koch g28 U.S. Army Interim Combat Service Rifle — Heckler & Koch G28

Mk17 SCAR Heavy U.S. Army Interim Combat Service Rifle — U.S. Navy SEAL with a SCAR-H rifle, one of the rumored possibilities for the Army’s Interim Combat Service Rifle.

hk 417 U.S. Army Interim Combat Service Rifle — Heckler & Koch 417, another possibility for the Army’s Interim Combat Service Rifle.

The U.S. Army Contracting Command has issued a request for information—on behalf of Product Manager Individual Weapons—for a new Interim Combat Service Rifle chambered in 7.62x51mm.

RELATED STORY: Don’t Call it a Comeback – Army Said to be Mulling the Return of the 7.62 Battle Rifle

We’ve been hearing about the Army’s 7.62 rifle needs for a couple of months now. According to Soldier Systems, it first appeared that the service might “leverage” its M110A1 Compact Semi Automatic Sniper System (CSASS) program and just get more Heckler & Koch G28s—that’s what the Army is buying as part of its requirement for 6,069 SDM-Rs—but using the CSASS as an Interim Combat Service Rifle wasn’t feasible for a number of different reasons. Thus, this request for information from industry has materialized.

The Army’s 7.62 Interim Combat Service Rifle requirement was borne out of a need for defeating enemies out to 600m, but Soldier Systems posits that Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley’s testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee late last week is now the driving force behind the requirement. During his testimony, Gen. Milley said the Army had developed a 7.62 round that could pierce 5.56mm-resistant body armor. The Interim Combat Service Rifle would fire that round, Soldier Systems says.

RELATED STORY: Army Chief of Staff – We’ve Developed a Round that Can Pierce 5.56 Body Armor

Below is exactly what the Army is looking for when it comes to the Interim Combat Service Rifle, via the official RFI. Interested parties have until 3:00pm EST on June 6 to submit information.

• The rifle must be a Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) system readily available for purchase today. Modified or customized systems are not being considered.
• Caliber: 7.62x51mm
• Available barrel lengths, to include 16 and 20 inch barrels, without muzzle device attached.
• Muzzle device capable of or adaptable to auxiliary devices for:
— Compensation of muzzle climb
— Flash suppression
— Sound Suppression
• Fire Control: Safe, Semi-automatic, and fully automatic capable.
• All controls (e.g. selector, charging handle) are ambidextrous and operable by left and right handed users
• Capable of mounting a 1.25 inch wide military sling
• Capable of accepting or mounting the following accessories.
— Forward grip/bi-pod for the weapon
— variable power optic
• Detachable magazine with a minimum capacity of 20 rounds
• Folding or collapsing buttstock adjustable to change the overall length of the weapon
• Foldable backup iron sights calibrated/adjustable to a maximum of 600 meters range
• Weight less than 12lb unloaded and without optic
• Extended Forward Rail