| may 2017 |^15
land
WARFAREthe region with Indonesia, the PRC, Russia and the Republic of
Korea (ROK) which all notably unveiled inventories of small
arms and light weapons throughout 2016 and 2017. According
to the Global Small Arms Light Weapons market report, published
on 21st February by Grand View Research, the holistic market
is expected to reach $25.7 billion by 2024, with the Asia-Pacific
highlighted as a particular area of growth. Highlighting specific
growth drivers such as the activities of Japan, India, the PRC, the
ROK and Russia the report described how the SALW market
in the Asia-Pacific was anticipated to grow at an annual rate
of more than 25 percent: “Increasing technology and economic
developments in emerging countries such as China and India
... (have) contributed to the growth,” the report indicated while
highlighting companies such as Beretta, FN Herstal, Glock and
Raytheon as being highly active in the region: “An increase in
urban warfare along with increased (acts of political violence)
is anticipated to propel the market growth. The development
of lightweight weapons for further enhancement of defence
systems is an ongoing trend in the developed countries,” the
report continued, adding that light weapons accounted for more
than 60 percent of the market with assault rifles expected to grow
by 20 percent per year over the reporting period as well as an
uplift in demand for Underslung Grenade Launchers (UGLs).Australia
On 24th January Australia’s NIOA signed a partnering agreement
with Colt’s Manufacturing Company for the assembly of SALWs
domestically, signaling a drive for the US-based company into the
Asia-Pacific. Signed at the SHOT Show in Las Vegas, Nevada, the
news followed the launch of Colt’s latest assault rifle, the 5.56mm
M5 Enhanced Carbine. According to Colt and NIOA officials, the
agreement provides a: “framework to enable NIOA to undertake
manufacture of Colt’s small arms product range in Australia and
integrate into Colt’s global supply chain ... NIOA, as the current
provider of Colt small arms for the Australian special forces and
law enforcement communities, is committed to maximising
Australian industry capability in the provision of our support
to Australian agencies. This agreement will allow NIOA to offer
(the) Australian government expanded domestic opportunities
for future small arms procurements,” a company spokesperson
explained to AMR.
The agreement will further proliferate Colt technology across
the Asia-Pacific, including the 5.56mm Advanced Colt Carbine-
Monolithic; 5.56mm Advanced Piston Carbine; 5.56mm M
Carbine; 5.56mm M16A4 Service Rifle; and Colt CM901 7.62mm
Modular Rifle; as well as the company’s inventory of special
mission weapons comprising the 7.62mm Colt Semi-AutomaticAustralia’s SAS regiment has launched a
new training initiative aimed at developing
the weapon handling and field craft of
the conventional army following the
realisation of the country’s Department of
Defence that more attention must be paid
to marksmanship training.Australian DODAustralia’s SAS regiment has launched a
new training initiative aimed at developing
the weapon handling and field craft of
the conventional army following the
realisation of the country’s Department of
Defence that more attention must be paid
to marksmanship training.BUILT ONE AT A TIME, PROVEN EVERY ROUND
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™M5.indd 5 3/23/2017 4:26:10 PM