Special Operations Forces Combat Assault Rifle (SCAR)

The Special Operations Forces Combat Assault Rifle (SCAR) is a gas-operated (short-stroke gas piston) self-loading rifle with a rotating bolt and a firing rate of 625 rounds/min.It is constructed to be extremely modular, including barrel change to switch between calibres. The rifle was developed by FN Herstal (FNH) for the United States Special Operations Command (SOCOM) to satisfy the requirements of the SCAR competition. This family of rifles consist of two main types. The SCAR-L, for "light", is chambered in the 5.56×45mm NATO cartridge and the SCAR-H, for "heavy", fires 7.62×51mm NATO. Both are available in Long Barrel and Close Quarters Combat variants.

SCAR is manufactured in two main versions; Light (SCAR-L, Mk 16 Mod 0) and Heavy (SCAR-H, Mk 17 Mod 0). The L version fires 5.56×45mm NATO using improved STANAG (M16) magazines.

The H fires the more powerful 7.62×51mm NATO from a newly designed 20-round magazine.: Different length barrels will be available for close quarters battle and for longer-range engagements.

The initial solicitation indicated that the SCAR-H would also be chambered for the 7.62×39mm M43 Kalashnikov cartridge and 6.8×43mm Remington SPC cartridge. However, FN is not currently offering other calibers.

The SCAR was selected in 2004 out of the Special Operations Forces (SOF) Combat Assault Rifle Program. The MK 16, MK 17, and MK 13 were officially designated as operationally effective (OE), operationally suitable (OS), and sustainable as a result of a 5-week Field User Assessment conducted by operational SOCOM forces in late 2008. These SCAR variants began fielding in April 2009