Editing SA80 (section)

===Cadet General Purpose Rifle <span class="anchor" id="L98 Cadet General Purpose Rifles"></span>===
{{multiple image
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 | width = 217
 | image1 = L98 target rifle.JPG
 | caption1 = [[Sea Cadets (United Kingdom)|Sea Cadet]] firing the now-retired L98A1 Cadet GP Rifle
 | image2 = L98 A2 DP Rifle.JPG
 | caption2 = L103A2 Drill Purpose version of the L98A2 Cadet GP Rifle. This particular example lacks the front sight post.
}}
The '''L98 Cadet General Purpose (GP) Rifle''' is used for weapons training by the [[Combined Cadet Force]] and [[Community Cadet Forces]]. The L98A2 is identical to the L85A2 rifle save for the absence of fully automatic capability and a plain foresight blade without a tritium insert.{{Sfn|Grant|2016|p=24}}

The initial L98A1 version was introduced in 1987 to replace the [[.303 British|.303]] [[Lee–Enfield#Rifle No 4 Mk I|Lee–Enfield No 4 rifles]] and [[Bren gun|.303 Bren guns]] in the Army Cadet Force, which had not been replaced by the [[L1A1 Self-Loading Rifle|SLR]] owing to that weapon's weight and recoil being deemed as too much for young cadets.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.rifleman.org.uk/BSA_and_Parker-Hale_Experimental_GP-cadet_rifles.html | title=Historic small-bore Enfield rifles, training rifles and BSA rifles; plus league competitions }}</ref> The GP Rifle had no such problems,{{Sfn|Grant|2016|p=24}} and its suitability for cadet use was emphasised in official documentation.<ref name=AC71462>{{cite book|author=[[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)]] |title=Army Code No. 71462, The Cadet Training Manual Volume I|year=1990}}</ref>  It was similar to the L85A1 but lacked the gas components, instead being a manually operated, [[single-shot]] weapon, with a cocking handle extension piece mounted on the right side of the weapon for this purpose. It was also distinguishable by the absence of a flash eliminator and only being fitted with standard iron sights. 

In 2018 a number of cadet weapons were stolen, and some later recovered after a theft in the North of England. This lead to a review of the rules around the cadet forces use and storage of such weapons. <ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/two-arrested-after-loaded-british-25455035 | title=Two arrested after loaded British Army issue assault rifle found buried in park | date=8 November 2022 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-65727894 | title=Machine guns among weapons lost by UK armed forces | work=BBC News | date=26 May 2023 }}</ref>