Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are remotely piloted or self-piloted aircraft that can carry cameras, sensors, communications equipment or other payloads. They have been used in a reconnaissance and intelligence-gathering role since the 1950s, and more challenging roles are envisioned, including combat missions. Since 1964 the Defense Department has developed 11 different UAVs, though due to acquisition and development problems only 3 entered production. The US Navy has studyied the feasibility of operating VTOL UAVs since the early 1960s, the QH-50 Gyrodyne torpedo-delivery drone being an early example. However, high cost and technological immaturity have precluded acquiring and fielding operational VTOL UAV systems.

By the early 1990s DOD sought UAVs to satisfy surveillance requirements in Close Range, Short Range or Endurance categories. Close Range was defined to be within 50 kilometers, Short Range was defined as within 200 kilometers and Endurance as anything beyond. By the late 1990s, the Close and Short Range categories were combined, and a separate Shipboard category emerged. The current classes of these vehicles are the Tactical UAV and the Endurance category.

Pioneer: Procured beginning in 1985 as an interim UAV capability to provide imagery intelligence for tactical commanders on land and see at ranges out to 185 kilometers. No longer in the Army inventory (returned to the US Navy in 1995).

Tactical UAV : Designed to support tactical commanders with near-real-time imagery intelligence at ranges up to 200 kilometers. Outrider Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration (ACTD) program terminated. Material solution for TUAV requirements is being pursued through a competive acquisition process with goal of contract award in DEC 99.

Joint Tactical UAV (Hunter): Developed to provide ground and maritime forces with near-real-time imagery intelligence at ranges up to 200 kilometers; extensible to 300+ kilometers by using another Hunter UAV as an airborne relay. Training base located at Fort Huachuca, with additional baseline at Fort Polk to support JRTC rotations. Operational assets based at Fort Hood (currently supporting the KFOR in Kosovo).

Medium Altitude Endurance UAV (Predator): Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration now transitioned to Low-Rate Initial Production (LRIP). Provides imagery intelligence to satisfy Joint Task Force and Theater Commanders at ranges out to 500 nautical miles. No longer in the Army inventory (transferred to the US Air Force in 1996).

High Altitude Endurance UAV (Global Hawk): Intended for missions requiring long-range deployment and wide-area surveillance (EO/IR and SAR) or long sensor dwell over the target area. Directly deployable from CONUS to the theater of operations. Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration (ACTD) managed by the US Air Force.

LIDAR

Light detection and ranging (lidar) is a technique in which
a beam of light is used to make range-resolved remote
measurements. A lidar emits a beam of light, that interacts
with the medium or object under study. Some of this light
is scattered back toward the lidar. The backscattered light
captured by the lidar’s receiver is used to determine some
property or properties of the medium in which the beam
propagated or the object that caused the scattering.
The lidar technique operates on the same principle
as radar; in fact, it is sometimes called laser radar.
The principal difference between lidar and radar is the
wavelength of the radiation used. Radar uses wavelengths
in the radio band whereas lidar uses light, that is
usually generated by lasers in modern lidar systems. The
wavelength or wavelengths of the light used by a lidar
depend on the type of measurements being made and may
be anywhere from the infrared through the visible and into
the ultraviolet. The different wavelengths used by radar
and lidar lead to the very different forms that the actual
instruments take.
The major scientific use of lidar is for measuring
properties of the earth’s atmosphere, and the major commercial
use of lidar is in aerial surveying and bathymetry
(water depthmeasurement). Lidar is also used extensively
in ocean research (1–5) and has several military applications,
including chemical (6–8) and biological (9–12)
agent detection. Lidar can also be used to locate, identify,
and measure the speed of vehicles (13). Hunters
and golfers use lidar-equipped binoculars for range finding
(14,15).
Atmospheric lidar relies on the interactions, scattering,
and absorption, of a beam of light with the constituents
of the atmosphere. Depending on the design of the lidar,
a variety of atmospheric parameters may be measured,
including aerosol and cloud properties, temperature, wind
velocity, and species concentration.
This article covers most aspects of lidar as it relates to
atmospheric monitoring. Particular emphasis is placed on
lidar system design and on the Rayleigh lidar technique.
There are several excellent reviews of atmospheric lidar
available, including the following:
Lidar for Atmospheric Remote Sensing (16) gives
a general introduction to lidar; it derives the lidar
equation for various forms of lidar including Raman
and differential absorption lidar (DIAL). This work
includes details of a Raman and a DIAL system
operated at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.
Lidar Measurements: Atmospheric Constituents, Clouds,
and Ground Reflectance (17) focuses on the differential
absorption and DIAL techniques as well as their
application to monitoring aerosols, water vapor, and
minor species in the troposphere and lower stratosphere.
Descriptions of several systems are given, including the
results of measurement programs using these systems.
Optical and Laser Remote Sensing (18) is a compilation
of papers that review a variety of lidar techniques
and applications. Lidar Methods and Applications (19)
gives an overview of lidar that covers all areas of
atmospheric monitoring and research, and emphasizes

Lockheed AC-130

Lockheed AC-130

The Lockheed AC-130 gunship is a heavily-armed ground-attack
aircraft. The basic airframe is manufactured by Lockheed, and Boeing is
responsible for the conversion into a gunship and for aircraft support.It is
a variant of the C-130 Hercules transport plane. The AC-130A Gunship II
superseded the AC-47 Gunship I in Vietnam.
The gunship's sole user is the United States Air Force, which uses
AC-130H Spectre and AC-130U Spooky variants. The AC-130 is powered
by four turboprops and has an armament ranging from 20 mm Gatling guns
to 105 mm howitzers. It has a standard crew of twelve or thirteen airmen,
including five officers (two pilots, a navigator, an electronic warfare officer
and a fire control officer) and enlisted personnel (flight engineer,
electronics operators and aerial gunners).
The US Air Force uses the AC-130 gunships for close air support, air
interdiction, and force protection. Close air support roles include
supporting ground troops, escorting convoys, and flying urban operations.
Air interdiction missions are conducted against planned targets and targets
of opportunity. Force protection missions include defending air bases and
other facilities. Stationed at Hurlburt Field in Northwest Florida, the
gunship squadrons are part of the Air Force Special Operations Command
(AFSOC), a component of United States Special Operations Command
(SOCOM).
DevelopmentThe C-130 Hercules was selected to replace the AC-47 Gunship I (known
as Spooky or Puff the Magic Dragon) during the Vietnam War, to improve
gunship endurance capabilities and increase capacity to carry munitions.In 1967, JC-130A USAF 54-1626 was selected for conversion into the
prototype AC-130A gunship. The modifications were done that year at
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, by the Aeronautical Systems Division. A
direct view night vision telescope was installed in the forward door, an
early forward looking infrared (FLIR) in the forward part of the left wheel
well, and Gatling guns fixed mounted facing down and aft along the left
side. The analog fire control computer prototype was handcrafted by RAF
Wing Commander Tom Pinkerton at the USAF Avionics Laboratory.
Flight testing of the prototype was subsequently performed primarily at
Eglin Air Force Base, followed by further testing and modifications. By
September 1967, the aircraft was certified ready for combat testing and
was flown to Nha Trang Air Base, South Vietnam for a 90 day test
program. Following these successes, a few more AC-130As were
constructed using similar equipment and manufactured versions of the
analog computer. The original 54-1626 Gunship is displayed at the USAF
Museum.
The AC-130 was supplemented by the AC-119 Shadow Gunship III,
which later proved underpowered with a wartime payload, during the
Vietnam War. In 1970, an additional dozen AC-130As were acquired under
the "Pave Pronto" project. Regardless of their project names, the aircraft
were more commonly referred to by the Squadron's call sign: Spectre.
DesignThese heavily-armed aircraft incorporate side-firing weapons integrated
with sophisticated sensors, navigation and fire control systems to provide
precision firepower or area-saturation fire with its varied armament. The
AC-130 can spend long periods flying over their target area at night and in
adverse weather. The sensor suite consists of a television sensor, infrared
sensor, and radar. These sensors allow the gunship to visually or
electronically identify friendly ground forces and targets in most weather
conditions.
The AC-130U is equipped with the AN/APQ-180, a synthetic aperture
radar for long-range target detection and identification. The gunship's
navigational devices include inertial navigation systems and a Global
Positioning System. The AC-130U employs technologies developed in the
1990s and can attack two targets simultaneously. It also has twice the
munitions capacity of the AC-130H.
During the Vietnam era the various AC-130 versions following the Pave
Pronto modifications were equipped with a magnetic anomaly detector
(MAD) system called the Black Crow (AN/ASD-5), a highly sensitive
passive device with a phased-array antenna located in the left-front nose
radome that could pick up localized deviations in earth's magnetic field and
is normally used to detect submerged submarines. The Black Crow system
on the AC-130A/E/H could accurately detect the unshielded ignition coils
of Soviet trucks driven by the North Vietnamese that were hidden under
the dense foliage of the jungle canopy along the Ho Chi Minh trail. It could
also detect the signal from a hand-held transmitter that was used by air
controllers on the ground to identify and locate specific target types. The
system was slaved into the targeting computer.

CornerShot

CornerShot

CornerShot is a special-purpose weapon that can fire around corners. It was designed in the early 2000s for SWAT teams and special forces in hostile situations usually involving terrorists and hostages. Its purpose is similar to that of the wartime periscope rifle; it allows its operator to both see and attack an armed target, without exposing the operator to counterattack. OverviewIt was designed by former Israeli Army senior officers, including Amos Golan, with sponsorship by American investors. The variations developed so far are the Standard, the 40 mm grenade launcher, the APR, and a derived anti-tank version. It works because its many parts are either on the muzzle or the butt end, which are connected by a steel hinge. It is manufactured by Corner Shot Holdings, LLC, a company headed in Miami with offices in Israel. Units have been sold in 15 countries.[4] The CornerShot was recently evaluated by the UK Ministry of Defence.
Forms and variationsThe Corner shot's shooting range is accurate and effective to 100 meters in 9mm, 40, and 45-caliber pistols, and is effective to 200 meters with a 5.7mm-caliber pistol. The device is available in several variations, including the Beretta 92F, a model widely used by US security forces, the Glock, SIG, SAUER and CZ, the mechanism can also mount various accessories such as detachable cameras, audio/video transmission kits, visible and IR lasers and tactical flashlights, silencers and rubber bullets. A standard pistol version is available, along with a 40 mm grenade launcher. Because they are fitted with high-resolution digital cameras, any variant can also be used as a surveillance tool. All the models come with the same stock camera and 2.5 in. color LCD monitor, providing a video observation and sighting system with transmission capability. The flashlight and camera let it operate in either day or night. A variety of optional interchangeable cameras, as well as a folding stock, are available, and a universal accessory rail is standard.
Future versions will be mountable on the US M-16 and a European joint assault weapon. The system can also be remotely emplaced and operated from behind camouflage, with a wire video - out connection sending images to a commander at a distance or saved to a 2-hour 'flash memory' chip attached to the gunstock.
StandardThe standard CornerShot mounts a normal semi-automatic pistol in the front part of the weapon, with a remote linkage to the trigger mechanism in the rear part, it has a trigger pull of 21 newtons (4.7 lbf). It is 820 millimetres (32.67 in) long, with a weight of 3.86 kilograms (8.5 lb).[citation needed]
40 mm grenade launcherThe 40 mm Grenade Launcher is a breech-loading, single shot grenade launcher. Manually operated, it fires all 40 mm grenades, less-lethal and non-lethal ammunition, and tear/irritant gas projectiles; spent cartridges are ejected for easier reloading. The same system is available in 37 mm size for law enforcement agencies.The 40 mm model has a rifling of 1:1.224, is 900 mm long, and weighs 4.4 kg (9.5 lb). The muzzle velocity is 74.7 m/s (M-406 grenade). Its range for precision fire, single target is 150 meters; and for area coverage, with fragmentation munitions, is 350 meters.
Assault Pistol Rifle (or APR)The Assault Pistol Rifle mounts a custom pistol in the front part of the weapon to allow the use of rifle cartridges. It fires 5.56 mm ammunition. The APR pistol can be removed from the CornerShot frame.
CornerShot Panzerfaust (or CSP)Debuted at the Eurosatory 2004 military trade show in Paris, a derivative of the system for use against armored vehicles is designed to fire Panzerfaust anti-tank rockets. It can turn 90 degrees instead of the standard 60 degrees. How it works An animated clip of CornerShot (standard version).In the standard version a pistol is mounted in the front end of the weapon, which bends horizontally at a mid-gun sixty-degree hinge.] There is a digital camera and a flashlight attached to the barrel in the bayonet position. On the butt side of the hinge are the trigger, camera screen (which is on a horizontal hinge just like the mid-gun hinge but it is off of the left side of the gun), and controls for the camera and light.
Similar weapons POF Eye at IDEAS 2008 at Karachi, Pakistan.Pakistan revealed the POF Eye developed by Pakistan Ordinance Factory in the 5th International Defence Exhibition and Seminar (IDEAS-2008), held at the Karachi Expo Centre. Live demonstration of this gun was also shown to the delegates. It has semi-automatic pistol, grenade launcher, and submachine gun variants.
The Krummlauf was a bent barrel designed for the Sturmgewehr 44, which was used by the Germans in World War II. It allowed for looking and firing around corners with its 30 degree barrel and a periscope-style sight.
During one of Iran's latest gun shows, a replica CornerShot gun was observed as one of Iran's modern weaponry that is said to be mass produced in the following years. It is claimed to be domestically made and invented.

BAE Sea Harrier

BAE Sea Harrier

The BAE Systems Sea Harrier is a naval VTOL/STOVL jet
fighter, reconnaissance and attack aircraft, a development of the Hawker
Siddeley Harrier. It first entered service with the Royal Navy in April 1980
as the Sea Harrier FRS1. The last version was the Sea Harrier FA2.
Informally known as the "Shar", the Sea Harrier was withdrawn from
Royal Navy service in March 2006 and replaced by the Harrier GR9.
In 1966 the planned CVA-01 class aircraft carriers for the Royal Navy
were cancelled, apparently ending the Royal Navy's involvement in
fixed-wing carrier aviation. However, beginning in the early 1970s, the first
of a new class of "through deck cruisers" was planned, carefully named to
avoid the term "aircraft carrier" to increase the chances of funding. These
ships would eventually become the Invincible class aircraft carriers. With
little modification, a 'ski-jump' was added to the end of the 170 m deck,
enabling the carriers to operate a small number of V/STOL jets.

A Sea Harrier FRS 1 on HMS InvincibleThe Royal Air Force's Hawker
Siddeley Harrier GR1s had entered service in April 1969. In 1975 the
Royal Navy ordered 34 Sea Harrier FRS.1s (later FRS1), the first of which
entered service in 1978. In total 57 FRS1s were delivered between 1978
and 1988.

The Harrier T4N is not strictly a variant of the Sea Harrier, but is a
two-seat naval training version of the Harrier T2. Four Harrier T4N were
purchased by the Royal Navy for land-based training. It did not have radar
and had a few Sea Harrier instruments, but was used for pilot conversion
training for the Sea Harrier FRS1.

Sea Harrier FRS51. of the Indian Navy taking off from INS
ViraatSingle-seat fighter, reconnaissance and attack aircraft. The Sea
Harrier FRS51 is similar to the FRS1. Unlike the British Sea Harrier, it is
fitted with Matra R550 Magic air-to-air missiles. The first of twenty-three
FRS51s were delivered to the Indian Navy in 1983.

Export version of the T4N two-seat training version for the Indian Navy.
At least four Harrier T60s were purchased by the Indian Navy for
land-based training.
Sea Harrier FA2 ZE694 at the Midland Air Museum Sea Harrier FA2 ZA195 (upgrade) vector thrust nozzle - distinguishing
feature of the jump jetLessons learned from the aircraft's performance in
the Falklands led to the requirement for an upgrade of the fleet,
incorporating increased air-to-air weapons load, look-down radar,
increased range, and improved cockpit displays. Approval for an upgrade
to FRS.2 standard was given in 1984. First flight of the prototype took
place on September 1988 and a contract was signed for 29 upgraded
aircraft in December that year, with the upgraded aircraft to be known as
the F/A.2 (later FA2). In 1990 the Navy ordered 18 new-build FA2s, at a
unit cost of around £12 million, and a further 5 upgrades were ordered in
1994. The Sea Harrier FA2 featured the Blue Vixen radar, which was
described as one of the most advanced pulse doppler radar systems in the
world. The Blue Vixen formed the basis for development of the
Eurofighter Typhoon's CAPTOR radar. The Sea Harrier FA2 carries the
AIM-120 AMRAAM missile and was the first UK aircraft to be provided
with this capability. The first aircraft was delivered on 2 April 1993 and the
first operational deployment was in April 1994 as part of the UN force in
Bosnia.
The final new-build Sea Harrier FA2 was delivered on 18 January 1999.

Seven Harrier T4s two-seat trainers updated with Sea Harrier FA2
instrumentation but no radar. Retired from service in March 2006.
DesignThe Sea Harrier was largely based on the Harrier GR3, but was modified
to have a raised cockpit with a "bubble" canopy (to give better visibility for
the air defence role) and an extended forward fuselage to accommodate the
Ferranti (now BAE Systems) Blue Fox radar. Parts were changed to use
corrosion resistant alloys or coatings were added to protect against the
marine environment.
The cockpit in the Sea Harrier includes a conventional centre stick
arrangement and left-hand throttle. In addition to normal flight controls, the
Harrier has a lever for controlling the direction of the four vectorable
nozzles. The nozzles point rearward with the lever in the forward position
for horizontal flight. With the lever back, the nozzles point downward for
vertical takeoff or landing.
Please help improve this section by expanding it with:Add details. Further information might be found on the talk page. (August
2008)

AH-64 Apache

The AH-64 Apache is an all-weather day-night military attack helicopter with a four-bladed main and tail rotor and a crew of two pilots who sit in tandem. The main fixed armament is a 30 mm M230 Chain Gun under the aircraft's nose. It can also carry a mixture of AGM-114 Hellfire and Hydra 70 rocket pods on four hardpoints mounted on its stub-wing pylons. The AH-64 is the principal attack helicopter of the United States Army, and a successor to the AH-1 Cobra.
The Apache was designed by Hughes Helicopters in response to the Army's Advanced Attack Helicopter program. McDonnell Douglas purchased Hughes Helicopters and continued the development of the AH-64 resulting in the AH-64D Apache Longbow which is currently produced by Boeing Integrated Defense Systems. United States Army AH-64s have been in action in Panama, Persian Gulf War, Afghanistan, and Iraq.

Following the cancellation of the AH-56 Cheyenne in favor of United
States Air Force and Marine Corps projects like the A-10 Thunderbolt II
and Harrier Jump Jet, the United States Army sought an aircraft to fill an
anti-armor attack role that would still fall under Army command; the 1948
Key West Agreement forbade the Army from commanding fixed-wing
aircraft. The Army wanted an aircraft better than the AH-1 Cobra in
firepower, performance and range. It would have the maneuverability to fly
nap-of-the-earth (NoE) missions.To this end, the US Army issued a
Request For Proposals (RFP) for an Advanced Attack Helicopter (AAH)
on 15 November 1972.

Proposals were submitted by five manufacturers: Bell, Boeing Vertol
(teamed with Grumman), Hughes, Lockheed, and Sikorsky. In 1973, the
U.S. Department of Defense selected finalists Bell and Hughes Aircraft's
Toolco Aircraft Division (later Hughes Helicopters). This began the phase
1 of the competition.Each company built prototype helicopters and went through a flight test
program. Hughes' Model 77/YAH-64A prototype first flew on 30
September 1975, while Bell's Model 409/YAH-63A prototype first flew on
1 October. After evaluating test results, the Army selected Hughes'
YAH-64A over Bell's YAH-63A in 1976. Reasons for selecting the
YAH-64A included its more damage tolerant four-blade main rotor and the
instability of the YAH-63's tricycle landing gear arrangement.The AH-64A then entered phase 2 of the AAH program. This called for
building three preproduction AH-64s, and upgrading the two YAH-64A
flight prototypes and the ground test unit up to the same standard.time,
including the new Hellfire missile.
Moving into productionIn 1981, three pre-production AH-64As were handed over to the US Army
for Operational Test II. The Army testing was successful, but afterwards it
was decided to upgrade to the T700-GE-701 version of engine, producing
1,690 shp (1,259 kW).[4] In late 1981, the AH-64 was named the
"Apache" keeping with the Army's traditional use of Native American tribal
names for its helicopters. Hughes was approved for full scale production
in 1982.[4] In 1983, the first production helicopter was rolled out at
Hughes Helicopter's facility at Mesa, Arizona. In 1984, Hughes Helicopters
was purchased by McDonnell Douglas for $470 million.[7] The helicopter
unit later became part of The Boeing Company with the merger of Boeing
and McDonnell Douglas in August 1997. In 1986, the incremental or
flyaway cost for the AH-64A was US$7.03 million and the average unit
cost was approximately US$13.9 million based on total costs.
In the mid-1980s, McDonnell Douglas studied an improved "AH-64B"
design with an updated cockpit, new fire control system and other
upgrades. In 1988 funding was approved for a multi-stage upgrade
program to improve sensor and weapon avionic systems and incorporate
some digital systems. However, improved technology was becoming
available. It was decided to cancel the upgrade program for more
ambitious changes. This would lead to the more advanced AH-64D
Apache Longbow in the mid-1990s.

The AH-64 is powered by two General Electric T700 turboshaft engines
with high-mounted exhausts on either side of the rotor shaft. The Apache
has a four-blade main rotor and four-blade tail rotor. The crew sits in
tandem, with the pilot sitting behind and above the copilot-gunner in an
armored crew compartment. The crew compartment and fuel tanks are
armored such that the aircraft will remain flyable even after sustaining hits
from 23 mm gunfire.
The helicopter is armed with a 30 mm M230 Chain Gun that can be slaved
to the gunner's Helmet mounted display, fixed to a locked forward firing
position, or controlled via the Target Acquisition and Designation System
(TADS). The AH-64 carries a range of external stores on its stub-wing
pylons, typically a mixture of AGM-114 Hellfire anti-tank missiles, Hydra
70 general-purpose unguided 70 mm (2.75 in) rockets, and AIM-92 Stinger
air-to-air missiles for defense. In case of emergency the pylons also have
mounting points for personnel transfer (mounting points are handles
normally used by maintenance personnel).
The AH-64 is designed to endure front-line environments and to operate
during the day or night and in adverse weather using avionics and
electronics, such as the Target Acquisition and Designation System, Pilot
Night Vision System (TADS/PNVS), passive infrared countermeasures,
Global Positioning System (GPS), and the Integrated Helmet And Display
Sight System (IHADSS).

M4 carbine

The M4 Carbine is a family of firearms tracing its lineage back to
earlier carbine versions of the M16, all based on the original AR-15 made
by ArmaLite. It is a shorter and lighter version of the M16A2 assault rifle,
achieving 80% parts commonality with the M16A2.The M4 has selective
fire options including semi-automatic and three-round burst (like the
M16A2), while the M4A1 has a "full auto" option in place of the
three-round burst. The M4 Carbine is a family of firearms tracing its lineage back to
earlier carbine versions of the M16, all based on the original AR-15 made
by ArmaLite. It is a shorter and lighter version of the M16A2 assault rifle,
achieving 80% parts commonality with the M16A2.The M4 has selective
fire options including semi-automatic and three-round burst (like the
M16A2), while the M4A1 has a "full auto" option in place of the
three-round burst. The M4 and variants fire 5.56x45mm NATO ammunition and are
gas-operated, air-cooled, magazine-fed, selective fire firearms with a
4-position telescoping stock. Original M4 models had a flat-ended
telescoping stock, but newer models are now equipped with a redesigned
telescoping stock that is slightly larger with curvature at the end. The M4 is
similar to much earlier compact M16 versions, such as the 1960s-era
XM177 family. Some of those visual designs are obvious in both weapons,
however most of the similarities are not very noticeable.As with many carbines, the M4 is handy and more convenient to
carry than a full-length rifle. While this makes it a candidate for non-infantry
troops (vehicle crews, clerks and staff officers), it also makes it ideal for
close quarters combat (CQC), and airborne and special operations, which
is the most popular usage for the weapon. It has been adopted by United
States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) and is the preferred
weapon of the U.S. Army Special Forces and Navy SEALs. M4's have
also been fielded by the Australian Special Air Service Regiment. Malaysia
purchased M4 Carbine service rifles to replace the Steyr AUG service
rifles in its armed forces in 2006 and will be manufactured in Malaysia
under license by SME Ordnance Sdn Bhd. It is expected that the M4 will
be adopted by law enforcement agencies in Malaysia, such as the Royal
Malaysian Police and the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency.The M4/M4A1 5.56 mm Carbine is a gas-operated, air-cooled,
magazine-fed, selective fire, shoulder-fired weapon with a telescoping
stock. A shortened variant of the M16A2 rifle with a 14.5 in (368 mm)
barrel, the M4 provides the individual soldier operating in close quarters
the capability to engage targets at extended range with accurate, lethal fire.
The original M4 Carbine has semi-automatic and three-round burst fire
modes, while the M4A1 has "semi" and "full auto", with no three-round
burst. The M4 Carbine achieves over 80% commonality with the M16A2
rifle and was intended to replace the .45 ACP M3 submachine guns and
selected M9 pistols and M16 rifle series with most Army units (this plan
was thought to be changed with the development of the XM29 OICW and
the XM8 carbine. However, both projects were cancelled). The M4
Carbine is also capable of mounting the M203 grenade launcher, the
M203A1 with a 9-inch barrel as opposed to the standard 12-inch barrel of
the M203 used on the M16 series of rifle.