INSAS Excalibur & MCIWS Ghatak Assault Rifles to Replace Indian Army's Standard Issue INSAS Rifles

[Chanakya's_Chant]

Army zeroes in on Made in India rifles to replace INSAS
The performance of the DRDO-designed 'Excalibur' assault rifle in trials last month at the Armament Research and Development Establishment in Pune has further enthused the Army.

INSAS EXCALIBUR MARK-I ​

The Indian Army has decided to go for an indigenous assault rifle to replace the problematic INSAS rifles. The decision that could save thousands of crores in foreign exchange and boost local manufacture was taken recently by Army Chief General Dalbir Singh. The Army then cancelled a problematic Rs 4,848 crore order for importing Multi Caliber Assault Rifles on June 15-first reported by Mail Today on July 1.

"We are going in for a designed and Made in India rifle in keeping with the government's indigenisation thrusts," senior Army sources told Mail Today.

The performance of the DRDO-designed 'Excalibur' assault rifle in trials last month at the Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE) in Pune has further enthused the Army. The Excalibur had only two stoppages (where the bullet gets stuck in the breech) after 24,000 rounds were fired, close to the Army's specifications of only one stoppage.

Multi Caliber Individual Weapon System (MCIWS) / Ghatak​

New features

The Excalibur is an improved version of the INSAS rifle and fires 5.56x45 mm ammunition. It has full-automatic capability over the INSAS which can only fire a three-round burst. The Excalibur barrel is shorter by 4 mm, has a side folding butt stock and features a Picatinny rail, a universal mount that allows a range of weapon sights and sensors to be fitted on the rifle.

DRDO officials say it will take the OFB's Rifle Factory Ishapore at least eight months to incorporate design changes suggested by the ARDE and field the first prototypes of what they are calling the 'Modified INSAS Rifle' (MIR). Changes suggested after trials include a smaller handguard and improved polycarbonate magazine.

If the Excalibur/MIR clears trials, it could be in the hands of infantry soldiers within two years, DRDO officials say. The DRDO is designing a second version of the Excalibur, the AR-2 that fires 7.62x39 mm rounds used by AK-47. The AR-2 will be offered as an alternative to the Russianorigin assault rifle.

The Army's 2011 tender was for a Multi Caliber Assault Rifle or for a weapon that could fire INSAS and AK-47 ammunition with a barrel change.

Five international firms - Beretta of Italy, Israeli Weapons Industries (IWI), Colt Defense of the US, Ceska Zbplojovka of Czech Republic and SiG Sauer of Switzerland-were shortlisted for the trials.

However, Army officials now admit the specifications were poorly drafted and unrealistic.

Source:- Exclusive: Made in India rifles to replace INSAS : Mail Today, News - India Today

 

[Gessler]

If you ask me, they shouldn't waste time on the Excalibur version...just concentrate all efforts on the MCIWS as a full-scale replacement for all the INSAS and AK versions in service right now. Get some additional 1B1 INSAS in the meantime if needed. I have already seen new rifles such as the FN SCAR in the hands of special operatives (SFF if I remember corectly) which means SFs and other Elite units will always have foreign rifles aplenty - like the SCAR and TAR-21.

Buying a foreign rifle for the whole infantry was a foolish, retrograde and cost-prohibitive idea since the start and was never gonna work - atleast not when we have a promising newcomer in the form of the MCIWS already undergoing trials.

...and then there's the MSMC to replace those rusted Sterlings.

 

[VeeraBahadur]

It seems MOD has arm twisted army for good. Good for Make In India .

I see stamp of authority by PMO in this particular case.

 

[Zarvan]

Army zeroes in on Made in India rifles to replace INSAS
The performance of the DRDO-designed 'Excalibur' assault rifle in trials last month at the Armament Research and Development Establishment in Pune has further enthused the Army.
View attachment 235073
INSAS EXCALIBUR MARK-I ​

The Indian Army has decided to go for an indigenous assault rifle to replace the problematic INSAS rifles. The decision that could save thousands of crores in foreign exchange and boost local manufacture was taken recently by Army Chief General Dalbir Singh. The Army then cancelled a problematic Rs 4,848 crore order for importing Multi Caliber Assault Rifles on June 15-first reported by Mail Today on July 1.

"We are going in for a designed and Made in India rifle in keeping with the government's indigenisation thrusts," senior Army sources told Mail Today.

The performance of the DRDO-designed 'Excalibur' assault rifle in trials last month at the Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE) in Pune has further enthused the Army. The Excalibur had only two stoppages (where the bullet gets stuck in the breech) after 24,000 rounds were fired, close to the Army's specifications of only one stoppage.

Multi Caliber Individual Weapon System (MCIWS) / Ghatak​

New features

The Excalibur is an improved version of the INSAS rifle and fires 5.56x45 mm ammunition. It has full-automatic capability over the INSAS which can only fire a three-round burst. The Excalibur barrel is shorter by 4 mm, has a side folding butt stock and features a Picatinny rail, a universal mount that allows a range of weapon sights and sensors to be fitted on the rifle.

DRDO officials say it will take the OFB's Rifle Factory Ishapore at least eight months to incorporate design changes suggested by the ARDE and field the first prototypes of what they are calling the 'Modified INSAS Rifle' (MIR). Changes suggested after trials include a smaller handguard and improved polycarbonate magazine.

If the Excalibur/MIR clears trials, it could be in the hands of infantry soldiers within two years, DRDO officials say. The DRDO is designing a second version of the Excalibur, the AR-2 that fires 7.62x39 mm rounds used by AK-47. The AR-2 will be offered as an alternative to the Russianorigin assault rifle.

The Army's 2011 tender was for a Multi Caliber Assault Rifle or for a weapon that could fire INSAS and AK-47 ammunition with a barrel change.

Five international firms - Beretta of Italy, Israeli Weapons Industries (IWI), Colt Defense of the US, Ceska Zbplojovka of Czech Republic and SiG Sauer of Switzerland-were shortlisted for the trials.

However, Army officials now admit the specifications were poorly drafted and unrealistic.

Source:- Exclusive: Made in India rifles to replace INSAS : Mail Today, News - India Today

I can smell another blunder in the making bad move they should test other guns before deciding .

 

[jung41]

Instead of incorporating all these junks they should find a foreign partner and any indian private defence company to make the weapon in india. PSU are just horrible in design and quality.

 

[haviZsultan]

I think we 2 should replace our G3A3's. Even its variants are better, like the G3KA4...

 

[The_Sidewinder]

I can smell another blunder in the making bad move they should test other guns before deciding .

Trails already took place where Beretta
of Italy, Israeli Weapons.Industries (IWI), Colt Defense of the US, Ceska Zbplojovka of Czech Republic and SiG Sauer of Switzerland-were the corresponding parties. They failed to met the specifications. Hence, Made in India guns will replace Insas. Anything that will be better than Insas.

Instead of incorporating all these junks they should find a foreign partner and any indian private defence company to make the weapon in india. PSU are just horrible in design and quality.

Licence Manufacturing Tavors is the way to go as a short term fix. But it will be stupid to trying to equip all our infantrymen with a imported gun. Drains taxpayers money, deplets foreign exchange reserve. TOTs are golden goose for foreign companies who will milk us on each occasion.

 

[Chanakya's_Chant]

If you ask me, they shouldn't waste time on the Excalibur version...just concentrate all efforts on the MCIWS as a full-scale replacement for all the INSAS and AK versions in service right now. Get some additional 1B1 INSAS in the meantime if needed. I have already seen new rifles such as the FN SCAR in the hands of special operatives (SFF if I remember corectly) which means SFs and other Elite units will always have foreign rifles aplenty - like the SCAR and TAR-21.

Buying a foreign rifle for the whole infantry was a foolish, retrograde and cost-prohibitive idea since the start and was never gonna work - atleast not when we have a promising newcomer in the form of the MCIWS already undergoing trials.

...and then there's the MSMC to replace those rusted Sterlings.

MCIWS is undergoing in-house trails at ARDE at the moment - won't be fully ready anytime soon whereas INSAS Excalibur Mark I has passed first round trails and is ready for use by the paramilitary forces - Excalibur seems to be better than 1B1 INSAS.

And there's negligible chance of MSMC being used by IA owing to it's poor effective range of 200 m - 300 m only - Even INSAS has a effective firing range of 450 m.

 

[Zarvan]

I think we 2 should replace our G3A3's. Even its variants are better, like the G3KA4...

Pakistan is quite satisfied with G3 I don't think there are any plans to start replacing it in near future @Icarus @balixd @kaonalpha

 

[Chanakya's_Chant]

​

 

[Water Car Engineer]

Well, this is pretty interesting news..

So they're going to support a variant of the INSAS-Excalibur till MCIWS matures?

 

[VeeraBahadur]

I can smell another blunder in the making bad move they should test other guns before deciding .

Did you bother to read OP ??

 

[Zarvan]

Did you bother to read OP ??

Yes I did and I still stand on what I said

 

[VeeraBahadur]

Yes I did and I still stand on what I said

By Other guns , which guns did you meant ??

 

[Water Car Engineer]

Surely the new Excaliburs will have subtle changes from the older models floating around.