Army to get rifles that killed Osama
6 Aug 2012 6:42 AM IST
American M-4 assault rifles, which was used by the US Navy SEALS to eliminate the Al Qaeda chief Osama Bin Laden, are being inducted into the Indian Army's Special Forces battalions for use in counter terrorists operations in the country.
India had recently signed a deal with the US worth several crore rupees for procuring these M-4 carbine rifles for the army's eight Special Forces battalions, the army sources said. These guns have been used extensively by the US Special Forces in operations across Iraq and Afghanistan and are now being inducted into the eight battalions of army's Special Forces, they said.
The guns were used by the US Navy SEALS to shoot down Osama Bin Laden in Abottabad in Pakistan in Operation Geronimo carried out in May last year.
The sources said the new guns will not be a replacement for the existing inventory of Israeli Tavor-21, Uzi and mini-Uzi rifles, but they will supplement the armoury. The Tavor-21s were also inducted only a few years ago into the Special Forces battalions, which were using the AK-47s till then.
The Parachute Regiment has 10 battalions under it and eight of them have been trained as Special Forces, which are supposed to carry out counter-terrorist operations during peacetime and sabotage enemy installations beyond enemy lines during wars.
The Special Forces battalions include the 1, 2, 3, 4, 9, 10 and 21 para units, which are deployed in different sectors of the country and have also been given responsibility to handle any 26/11 type attacks if they occur near their area of deployment.
The army wants to increase the number of Special Forces troops to more than 10 battalions with around 700 men in each one of them.
LETHAL WEAPON
Manufacturers:
Colt Defense
US Ordnance
Remington Arms Company
Specifications:
Gas-operated, rotating bolt
Weight: 2.88 kg empty, 3.1 kg with 30 rounds
Length 33 in (stock extended), 29.75 in (stock retracted)
Barrel length: 14.5 in
Accessories it can have:
Night vision devices, suppressors, laser pointers, telescopic sights, bipods
India had recently signed a deal with the US worth several crore rupees for procuring these M-4 carbine rifles for the army's eight Special Forces battalions, the army sources said. These guns have been used extensively by the US Special Forces in operations across Iraq and Afghanistan and are now being inducted into the eight battalions of army's Special Forces, they said.
The guns were used by the US Navy SEALS to shoot down Osama Bin Laden in Abottabad in Pakistan in Operation Geronimo carried out in May last year.
The sources said the new guns will not be a replacement for the existing inventory of Israeli Tavor-21, Uzi and mini-Uzi rifles, but they will supplement the armoury. The Tavor-21s were also inducted only a few years ago into the Special Forces battalions, which were using the AK-47s till then.
The Parachute Regiment has 10 battalions under it and eight of them have been trained as Special Forces, which are supposed to carry out counter-terrorist operations during peacetime and sabotage enemy installations beyond enemy lines during wars.
The Special Forces battalions include the 1, 2, 3, 4, 9, 10 and 21 para units, which are deployed in different sectors of the country and have also been given responsibility to handle any 26/11 type attacks if they occur near their area of deployment.
The army wants to increase the number of Special Forces troops to more than 10 battalions with around 700 men in each one of them.
LETHAL WEAPON
Manufacturers:
Colt Defense
US Ordnance
Remington Arms Company
Specifications:
Gas-operated, rotating bolt
Weight: 2.88 kg empty, 3.1 kg with 30 rounds
Length 33 in (stock extended), 29.75 in (stock retracted)
Barrel length: 14.5 in
Accessories it can have:
Night vision devices, suppressors, laser pointers, telescopic sights, bipods
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