Beretta AR70/90

The Beretta AR70/90 is a gas operated self-loading assault rifle chambered for the 5.56mm cartridge, and is the standard issue service rifle of the Italian Armed Forces. The weapon is also designed to be fitted with a rifle grenade, and has grenade sights. The AR series comes in many variants such as the AR90, with a wire folding stock, for use by paratroopers.

History
The Beretta AR70/90 assault rifle was developed in the 1980s when the Italian Government decided that its military and law enforcement agencies needed a new standard service weapon. It was made to be compatible with other NATO weapons by the adoption of standard 5.56mm STANAG loaders, whereas the AR70/90's predecessor, the BM59, derived from the U.S. M1 Garand, was chambered in 7.62 (.308), another NATO caliber which today is considered suitable mostly for sniper or machine gun use. There is a semi-auto version of the AR-70/90 called the AR 70/90S which lacks a flash hider and bayonet mount.

Description
The AR-70/90 is manufactured according to 1980s standards, i.e. with limited use of polymer plastic parts and using stainless steel whenever possible (a Beretta staple). It weighs approximately 4 kg in standard configuration. It has three firing positions (full auto, three-round burst, and semi-auto) and a safe, and has a carrying handle not unlike the Vietnam-era M16, a long, bulky barrel, and a hollow stock. It is usually fitted with an ACOG or a red dot optic.

Future
As of late 2010 the AR70/90 is supplemented in service by the new Beretta ARX-160, a totally new project which sees a great leap forward in soldier-to-weapon interfacing, several major developments in sighting and firepower such as the integrated (and also detachable) grenade launcher GLX-160, and the "Future Soldier Program" integration.

Users



 * 🇧🇫 Burkina Faso
 * 🇪🇬 Egypt Ordered 2450 SCP
 * 🇮🇹 Italy
 * 🇯🇴 Jordan
 * 🇱🇸 Lesotho
 * 🇲🇾 Malaysia
 * 🇲🇹 Malta
 * 🇲🇽 Mexico
 * 🇲🇦 Morocco
 * 🇳🇬 Nigeria
 * 🇶🇦 Qatar
 * 🇵🇾 Paraguay
 * 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe