Beretta ARX 160

The ARX-160 is a modular assault rifle manufactured by Pietro Beretta S.p.A.. Developed for the Italian armed forces as part of the Soldato Futuro (Future Soldier in English) program, the ARX-160 was launched in 2008 as a commercial weapon system independent from the Soldato Futuro ensemble, complete with a companion single-shot 40mm NATO low-velocity grenade launcher, called GLX-160, which can be underslung to the rifle or used with an ad-hoc stock system as a stand-alone weapon.

Design
The ARX-160 departs from the previously issued Beretta 70/90 weapon system on several points. The weapon is composed of bottom and lower receiver, both manufactured mostly in polymer, and operates through a short-stroke piston system. Feeding is through STANAG magazines.

The weapon's unique features include ambidextrous safeties, magazine catches and charging handle, the ability to change which side spent casings are ejected, a quick-change barrel which can be removed and replaced in seconds without tools, Picatinny rails. and a foldable telescopic stock.

The lightweight barrel is chrome lined and manufactured by the hammer forging process at the Beretta factory in Gardone Val Trompia, Lombardy.

ARX-100 Variant
Designed for the civilian market, especially within the United States, is a semi-automatic variant labeled the ARX-100. Retaining the ARX-160's operational features, with the exception that the safety rotates 90 degrees into the Fire position.

History
Developed for the Italian armed forces as part of the Soldato Futuro (Future Soldier in English) program, the ARX-160 was launched in 2008 as a commercial weapon system.

Foreign interest
The Beretta ARX-160 was a Phase II contender in the United States Army Individual Carbine competition to replace the M4 carbine. The Individual Carbine competition was cancelled before a winning weapon was chosen.

In February 2013, the Argentinean Army received an ARX-160 rifle and GLX-160 grenade launcher for evaluation for their special forces.

The Indian Army is testing the ARX-160 as a replacement for the INSAS rifle.

Users

 * 🇦🇱 Albania: Special forces.
 * 🇪🇬 Egypt: Egyptian Navy Thunderbolt, ARX-160SF variant.
 * 🇮🇹 Italy: Italian Army. Ordered 30,000 in 2012.
 * 🇰🇿 Kazakhstan: Kazakhstan Special Forces in 7.62x39mm caliber
 * 🇲🇽 Mexico: Federal Police.
 * 🇹🇲 Turkmenistan: Military of Turkmenistan. Ordered 1680 ARX-160 along with 150 GLX-160.