The U.S. Marine Corps are keeping the Heckler & Koch factories busy as they confirmed that they have signed a contract with a maximum ceiling of US$29.4 million. This five-year, firm-fixed price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite quantity contract will mean up to 15,000 M27 Infantry Automatic Rifles (IARs) and corresponding spare parts will be delivered to the Marines while the contract is in effect.

The U.S. Marines have settled with the M27 IAR, which is based on the Heckler & Koch HK416 rifle customised to meet the specifications of the USMC. Initiially, the M27 IAR is meant to replace the M249 Support Weapons, but the Marines are interested in having it replace the M4 rifle as the standard weapon.

Whilst the M27 IAR’s numbers will increase with the new contract, it will just partially replace the M4 rifle.

In the same report from Marine Corps Systems Command, Chief Warrant Officer 5 Joel Schwendinger, Combat Development and Integration Gunner  of the USMC said, “Since the M27 has been fielded, it has proven to be extremely reliable, durable, and accurate.” He further adds that, “The Marine Corps Operating Concept describes a future where units will be operating with greater dispersion and experiments such as the [Sea Dragon 2025 Exercise] identified the need for increased lethality in Marine rifle platoons and squads. The M27 provides the Corps with the necessary increase in lethality.  Unlike other infantry specialties that primarily fight with crew-served weapons such as mortars and machine guns, rifle platoons primarily fight with rifles, and the M27 has proven to be the best overall fighting rifle.”

U.S. Navy HM3 Jordan A. Kopf, fires the M-27 Infantry Automatic Rifle (IAR) (Photo by Lance Cpl. Aaron Patterson. DVIDSHUB.net)

As the actual contract, here is the contract announcement from Defense.gov:

Heckler and Koch Defense Inc.,* Ashburn, Virginia, is awarded a maximum ceiling $29,427,750 five-year, firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the purchase of up to a maximum 15,000 M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle systems and spare parts.  Work will be performed at Oberndorf, Germany (70 percent); Columbus, Georgia (20 percent); and Ashburn, Virginia (10 percent), and is expected to be completed by April 30, 2023.  Fiscal 2016 procurement (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $37,536; fiscal 2017 procurement (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $2,650,003; and fiscal 2018 procurement (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $4,771,071 totaling $7,458,610, will be obligated on the first delivery order immediately following contract award.  The fiscal 2016 funds in the amount of $37,536 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  This contract was awarded on a sole source basis under the authority of the Federal Acquisition Regulation, Part 6.302-1.  The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity (M67854-18-D-1248).

With the more M27 IARs coming in, the Marines are planning to issue these to active and reserve infantry platoons by the beginning of next year.

Top Photo: Gunnery Sgt. Patricio A. Mora fires the M-27 “Infantry Automatic Rifle”  (Photo by Lance Cpl. Peter Sanders. DVIDSHUB.net)