Arka: FN's entry for Grayburn that's ambidextrous, configurable and soldier-proof

Soldiers, sailors and aviators across the Armed Forces are eagerly waiting to find out which service rifle they'll be using in the decades to come when the SA80 is phased out – and one contender being put forward by FN is the Arka.

This rifle, which is currently available in 5.56x45mm Nato, features the gas piston system of the company's own SCAR, but the more familiar control layout of the AR-15/M4 family of rifles.

We got the rundown on what the FN Arka has to offer from Stevie Crooks, the senior business development manager for FN UK.

• When AR meets SCAR: The FN Arka – a potential replacement for the SA80 service rifle
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• First look at US Army's M8 as SIG Sauer showcases potential replacements for SA80

Soldier-proof

Many Nato nations already use AR-style weapons, so having a familiar control layout makes sense in terms of interoperability.

And as Mr Crooks points out, the Arka – unlike the SA80 L85A3, L85A2, L22 and L98 – is ambidextrous.

FN's weapon system is configurable in terms of things like the butt stock, hand guard and pistol grip – and the former infanteer says the use of tougher materials like the charging handle make it soldier-proof.

The company is already well known to the Armed Forces, having made the much-loved L1A1 SLR as well as the General Purpose Machine Gun, and Mr Crooks said the Arka would be 90% made in the UK, should the company be awarded the Project Grayburn contract.

At the moment, the MOD's requirements for the new weapon under Grayburn are quite vague, but the National Armaments Director Group is holding an industry day to hear from interested parties.

It is still in the early stages of developing the Grayburn requirement and will be using this event to get a better understanding of the market and potential delivery approaches.