US Air Force pilots receive rifles for their survival kit.

Until now, pilots had to rely on their pistol when activating their ejection seat. However, there is now an upgrade. The GAU-5A, a variant of the XM177E2, is the new Aircrew Self Defense Weapon (ASDW). However, the rifle is too large/long to fit into the survival kit, so it uses a Quick Release Barrel (QBR) from Cry Havoc Tactical. This allows the barrel to be quickly detached from the rifle, or assembled back together in under 60 seconds. We have linked a video in the cover photo to give you an idea of what this looks like in reality.

In addition to the rifle, magazines are of course included. Four pieces with 30 rounds each, meaning the pilot will have 120 rounds available in case of emergency. The rifle will be available for pilots in the following aircraft in the future: A-10, B-1, B-2, B-52, F-15C, F-15E, F-16, and F-22. If you would like to learn more about it, you can find information HERE.

US Air Force online: www.airforce.com