Editing SA80 (section)

===A2 upgrade programme <span class="anchor" id="L85A2"></span>===
As a result, a more extensive modification programme was executed. In 2000, a team from Heckler & Koch, led by Ernst Mauch, was contracted to upgrade the SA80 family of weapons.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://theflyingscotsman91.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-story-of-sa80-assault-rifle-and.html | title=The Story of the SA80 assault rifle - and a reflection on British military procurement disaster }}</ref> At that time Heckler & Koch were owned by BAE Systems. 200,000 SA80s were re-manufactured for £400 each, producing the A2 variant. Changes focused primarily on improving reliability and include a redesigned cocking handle, modified bolt, extractor and a redesigned hammer assembly that produces a slight delay in the hammer's operation in continuous fire mode, improving reliability and stability. The rifle and the LSW underwent modifications, and the programme also saw the introduction of a carbine variant.<ref name="guardian"/> The Ministry of Defence describes the A2 revision as "producing the most reliable weapons of their type in the world".<ref name=modl85>{{cite web |url=http://www.army.mod.uk/equipment/23222.aspx |title=SA80 individual weapon |publisher=Army.mod.uk |access-date=2009-04-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151210174925/http://www.army.mod.uk/equipment/23222.aspx |archive-date=2015-12-10}}</ref> Armed Forces trials indicated extremely good reliability over a range of climates for various operational scenarios, though with a decline in reliability in hot, and especially hot and dry conditions.{{Sfn|Grant|2016|p=31}}{{sfn|Williams|2013}}

The L85A2 achieved an average reliability rate of 25,200 [[Mean time between failures|mean rounds between failure]], and the L86A2 achieved 12,897 mean rounds between failures. Both weapons have higher reliability rates in cold/dry, temperate, and hot/wet conditions,{{efn|over 31,500 MRBF for L85A2}} but lower rates in hot/dry environments. The minimum expected life of A2 components is 10,000 rounds, meaning they might never suffer stoppages during their lifetimes. Mean rounds between failures was the measure of the average number of rounds that are fired between failures of a battlefield mission test. A battlefield mission was counted as a failure when there was more than one stoppage that the soldier could clear immediately on their own or there was a stoppage that required an armourer or a tool to clear. The Individual Weapon fired 165 battlefield missions, each comprising 150 rounds over 8 mins 40 secs. A total of 24,750 rounds were fired and suffered only 51 stoppages.{{efn|485 rounds fired for every stoppage}} Out of 165 battlefield missions, the A2 passed 156; the nine failures stoppages were easily cleared and not mission critical. The L85A2 achieved a 95% success rate, above the operational requirement of 90%, and its nearest rival of popular choice achieved only 47%.{{sfn|Williams|2013}} Originally slated for introduction in 2002,<ref>{{cite news |last=Harding |first=Thomas |date=16 October 2001 |title=Rifles up-dated in time for invasion |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1359559/Rifles-up-dated-in-time-for-invasion.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1359559/Rifles-up-dated-in-time-for-invasion.html |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |work=The Telegraph |location=London |access-date=15 September 2019}}{{cbignore}}</ref> the first A2-style SA80 weapons were rushed into action in Afghanistan in December 2001, and all 200,000 were converted by February 2006. Three to four thousand weapons were converted per month. Despite the modifications, reports emerged that the L85A2 was still jamming; in reality, there were few jams and problems were much less serious than they were made out to be, since they stemmed from isolated cases of soldiers not cleaning their weapons correctly.{{sfn|Williams|2013}} The modified A2 variants are distinguished by the "HK A2" marking on the top of the weapon just forward of the buttplate and the distinctive comma-shaped cocking handle (shaped to aid the ejection of the empty round casing and prevent stoppages).

Continued testing of the L85A2 in adverse conditions demonstrates its reliability over contemporary rifles, including the M16. Although it is heavier than most conventional and more modern bullpup rifles, its full-length barrel gives higher muzzle velocities and better terminal performance than both the American [[M4 carbine]] and [[M16 assault rifle]]. Rounds from an [[M4 carbine|M4]] will only reliably fragment out to 50–100 metres, while the L85A2 and M16 allowed fragmentation out to 150–200 metres and the L86A2 has an even longer fragmentation range.{{sfn|Williams|2013}} Despite these modifications, the L86A2 was supplemented with a belt-fed machine gun. British troops were issued with [[FN Minimi]] machine guns to add suppressive fire out to 300 metres.{{sfn|Williams|2013}}

A further upgrade including the provision of [[Advanced Combat Optical Gunsight]]s (ACOGs), a [[Daniel Defense]]-designed [[Picatinny rail]] (RIS) handguard for the L85 rifle (with optional Grip Pod downgrip),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eda.europa.eu/procurement-gateway|title=Supply of Handguards and Downgrips for SA80A2|publisher=European Defence Agency|quote=<!-- The Combat Support Equipment Integrated Project Team (CSE IPT), part of the Ministry of Defence United Kingdom, has a requirement for design, production and supply of a new handguard and downgrip for the SA80A2 Rifle to give improved grip capability. There is a possible requirement for up to quantity 8,000 of each item for Urgent Operational Requirements. There is a further possible requirement for up to quantity 15,000 to replace in service equipment.-->}}</ref> and a new vortex style [[Flash suppressor|flash eliminator]] was introduced as an [[Urgent Operational Requirement]]; initially introduced for use by selected units in 2007,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.army.mod.uk/linkedfiles/ceso/trained_soldiers/kit_magazine/kit62_hi_res.pdf |title=Kit Magazine |issue=62 |date=Winter 2007 |publisher=[[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)]] |access-date=2008-03-16 |quote=<!-- This technology is here now! So if you see strange-looking SA80s being carried by strange-looking men, then rest assured, those users that had the requirement, had the make-over, at a price.--> |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081001234423/http://www.army.mod.uk/linkedfiles/ceso/trained_soldiers/kit_magazine/kit62_hi_res.pdf |archive-date=1 October 2008}}</ref> the upgrade package was subsequently rolled out on a more general basis from 2009 onwards.{{Sfn|Grant|2016|p=41}}