The new Canadian assault rifle

Colt CZ Group announces that the Canadian Defence Investment Agency (DIA) has awarded a $273M CAD (excluding taxes) contract to Colt Canada as part of the Canadian Modular Assault Rifle Project (CMAR). This contract will provide a modern replacement for the current C7/C8 assault rifle fleet, which has been in service for more than 35 years. As part of the contract, Colt Canada is to supply 30,000 assault rifles between 2026 and 2029. The contract has provisions for additional quantities.

The Defence Investment Agency has awarded a contract to Colt Canada of Kitchener, Ontario, to acquire up to 65,402 Canadian Modular Assault Rifle systems to replace the current C7/C8 service rifle fleet, which has been in service for more than 35 years.

The Canadian Modular Assault Rifle project will be delivered in two phases:
- Phase 1 includes the procurement of 30,000 General Service (GS) rifles over three years.
- An optional Phase 2 would deliver the remaining 19,207 GS rifles, 16,195 Full Spectrum rifles, as well as associated ancillaries.

The FS variant is designed for front-line combat roles. It is optimized for offensive operations in urban and open terrain, and it has advanced features for soldiers in Regular Infantry units. The GS variant is intended for broader use across the CAF. It provides reliable personal protection and deterrence for personnel who are not in primary combat roles. The ammunition to be produced as part of the CMAR initiative will also be made in Canada.