New rifles for UK Commandos

More than 1,500 SIG SAUER MCX rifles have been purchased or the ROYAL MARINES UK COMMANDO FORCE as a new rifle for specialist operations, including counterterrorism.

As part of the UK's continued investment in the COMMANDO FORCE, the rifles are well-suited to their specialist roles. The addition of the MCX is designed to complement the Commandos’ new general-purpose weapon, the KNIGHTS ARMAMENT STONER 1 (KS-1), that was announced in September 2023. The SIG MCX replaces the venerable L119A1/A2 rifles produced by COLT CANADA and brings a level of versatility well-suited to the unique requirements of the Commando Force, which operates as a tip-of-the-spear force across a wide range of extreme environments around the world. While the KS-1 is the standard-issue rifle for the Commando Force, the MCX (configurable for different calibers) is designed for specialized missions.

The MCX will be used by Commando Forces operating with the Royal Navy’s Littoral Response Groups – which bring together amphibious ships, aircraft, vehicles, and Commandos under one potent force designed to provide a global Crisis Response and Special Operations capability. According to various open sources, the typical configuration of the ROYAL MARINEs MCX configuration includes the following accessories:

• MAGPUL M54 sling
• Surefire Mini Scout Light Pro
• G10 rail scales
• MAGPUL M-LOK AFG (Angled Fore Grip)
• Suppressor
• Optics with magnifiers 

Commandos were able to thoroughly field-test systems and provide feedback on their performance and were seen during the recent Winter Deployment 25 exercises in Norway in the hands of the Shore Reconnaissance Troop (SRT). The SRT are specialists in covert maritime information.