Special Operations Forces Combat Assault Rifle (SCAR)
Special Operations Forces Combat Rifle (SCR)
SOPMOD Enhanced Carbine (EC)
SCAR Requirements
Reliability, Availability, and Maintainability (RAM) requirements included Mean Rounds between Stoppage (MRBS) of 2000 (Threshold) and 8000 (Objective); Mean Rounds between Failure (MRBF) of 15,000 (T) and 50,000 (O); Weapon Service Life of 15,000 rounds (T) and 90,000 rounds (O); and Barrel Service Life of 10,000 rounds (T) and 50,000 rounds (O). As a modular system, there was a threshold requirement for both a 5.56mm SCAR-Light (SCAR-L) and a 7.62mm SCAR-Heavy (SCAR-H). An objective requirement also existed for additional barrels for each variant that would allow current and future ammunition.
Accuracy requirements existed for both subvariants. The SCAR-L would have to achieve a 70 percent hit ratio on 500 meter point target and a 600 meter area target (T) and 600 meter point target and an 800 meter area target (O). The SCAR-H would have to achieve a 70 percent hit ratio on 600 meter point target and an 800 meter area target (T) and 800 meter point target and a 1000 meter area target (O). The SCAR-L and SCAR-H could not add more than 1 minute of angle (MOA) at 300 meters (T) and not more than .25 MOA at 300 meters (O) to the weapon's shot group.
The SCAR would be developed in 2 threshold configurations, a SCAR-L and a SCAR-H, with the SCAR-L being the priority. Both the SCAR-L and H would possess the capability for barrel modularity and thus would be available in the following variants: Standard (S), Close Quarters Combat (CQC) and Sniper Variant (SV). The SV could be a modular enhancement or a separate weapon. The barrel modularity could be accomplished via complete upper receiver changes or just the barrel. The SCAR-L would be optimized for 5.56x45mm and thus would use an enhanced 5.56mm magazine. The SCAR-H would provide an open architecture design to accommodate changing calibers from the standard 7.62x51mm. The initial caliber change was projected as the 7.62x39mm. The ergonomic and parts commonality between the SCAR-L and H would be maximized to create a family of SCAR weapons. This commonality was deemed essential for training time reduction, enhancing mission effectiveness, and improving the special operations forces (SOF) operator's ingrained operational and emergency procedure autonomic responses that are critical during high stress situations.
The SCAR system was required to be rugged, highly reliable, controllable in full automatic fire, have no unsafe failure modes, be highly ergonomic, corrosion resistant (T)/proof (O), capable of minimal lube firing (T)/lube-less firing (O), and capable of being operated and maintained by a single man.
The SCAR-L with stock collapsed or folded was not exceed lengths of 29.9 inches, while it was not to exceed 33.6 inches with the stock extended when fitted with the standard barrel. The SCAR-L would weigh no more than 7.25 pounds unloaded. The SCAR-H would have a collapsible or foldable stock and have lengths not greater than similar configurations of existing available 7.62mm battle rifles (30.3 inches folded or 40.2 inches extended with standard barrel). The SCAR-H would weigh no more than 9 ounds.
The following were the Key Performance Parameters for the SCAR with regards to Adaptability, Modular/Family of Weapons, Reliability and Accuracy.
The SCAR barrels and caliber were to be capable of being readily exchanged at operator level, without head space/timing adjustments, within 20 minutes (T) or 5 minutes objective (O).
The SCAR-L and H, in threshold caliber configurations (5.56mm NATO and 7.62mm NATO) with M855 and M80 ball ammunition respectively (T), spirally developed/alternate caliber configurations (O), would have a MRBS of 2,000 rounds (T) or 8,000 rounds (O). The SCAR-L and H, in threshold caliber configurations (T), spirally developed/ alternate caliber configurations (O), would have a MRBF of 15,000 rounds (T) or 35,000 rounds (O). The SCAR-L and H, in threshold caliber configuration/ball ammunition (T), spirally developed/alternate caliber configurations (O), would have a fully functional service life without overhaul for a minimum of 15,000 rounds (T) or 90,000 rounds (O) for the weapon and 15,000 rounds (T) or 35,000 rounds (O) for the barrel.
The SCAR, in threshold configuration (T) and all caliber/barrel configurations (O), would not add more than 1.0 MOA at 300 meters (T) or .25 MOA at 300 meters (O) to baseline (M855, Mk 262, M80, M118) ammunition performance
The SCAR was also required to be compatible with the SOPMOD Accessory Kit components via MIL-STD-1913 rails. It was envisioned that the SCAR weapons would be available with a sling, bipod, forward handgrip, blank firing capability, and an operator's manual. The SCAR would have a rigid MIL-STD-1913 rail at the 12:00 position running continuously from the rear sight to the front sight, which could be mounted to the upper receiver or integral to the weapon (T). The 12:00 rail would number the slots in alternate even numbers running the extent of the rail from back sight to front (T). The SCAR would also have additional MIL-STD 1913 rails at 3:00, 6:00, and 9:00 in the fore-arm/hand guard area (T). All rails would be capable of maintaining the bore sight alignment (T). The MIL-STD 1913 rails would be mounted to the weapon to maximize rigidity (no loss of zero due to rough handling), independence from the barrel and no interference with the natural harmonic vibrations of the barrel during firing), and provision for mounting future 6:00 subsystems more closely to the gun barrel (decrease in offset between the 6:00 subsystems and the axis of the bore) (T). SOPMOD/Modular Weapon System (MWS) items mounted on the rail system would not be blocked or interfered with by other SCAR components/features (T). The SCAR-L would be compatible with the Enhanced Grenade Launcher Module (EGLM) (T). SCAR in any barrel length configuration would be able mount the EGLM 40mm grenade launcher on 6:00 position (T). The rail interface would be capable of withstanding the recoil forces generated by firing the 40mm grenade launchers with a cartridge producing a pressure of 230 bar (T). The SCAR rails would exhibit no detectable shift in zero, when the EGLM 40mm weapon was fitted to the SCAR-L, and during firing of the EGLM (T).
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