NZ MoD Assessing Responses to Steyr Replacement RfI

23 Oktober 2013

New Zealand Army with Steyr assault rifle (photo : Altair)

New Zealand's Ministry of Defence (MoD) is assessing responses to a request for information (RfI) on a possible replacement for the New Zealand Defence Force's (NZDF's) 13,000 Steyr 5.56 mm assault rifles.

The RfI, which closed on 4 October, says the 25-year-old Steyrs, manufactured in Australia by the then ADI, now Thales Australia, are near the end of their economic life and the capability no longer meets operational needs.

If approved by government, the new weapons could be acquired between 2014 and 2018.

A 2011 MoD report said operations in Afghanistan had shown that the Steyrs' sights were not powerful enough to accurately identify adversaries and the weapons themselves were ineffective at ranges greater than 200 m.

According to the RFI, the replacement weapon "will offer consistency in fire from close quarter situations to more deliberate fire at around 500 metres by day and half this distance in low light conditions.

"It is to provide open architecture modularity in order to easily attach/detach sights, accessories or ancillaries to suit mission, or task, and mitigate risk of collateral damage or non-combatant casualties," it added.

The weapon must also be capable of operations for prolonged periods in alpine and marine conditions and be readily useable by personnel wearing a wide range of equipment, including body armour, Arctic gloves, and respirators.

The NZDF intends to retain the standard NATO 5.56 mm x 45 calibre ammunition used in the Steyr.

An NZDF tender for 3,000 upgraded Steyrs was cancelled late last year. The tender sought either new-build or enhanced Steyrs with a new sighting system featuring 4x rather than the current 1.5x magnification, together with the ability to fit thermal sighting and other ancillary systems.

(Jane's)