Australian Defence Forces New Austeyr EF88 Rifle:

Reports are arriving that Australian Defence Minister Kevin Andrews will sign-up to purchase 30,000 new 5.56x45mm rifles from Thales Australia before the end of this July 2015.

 

Thales EF88 Undergoing Trials.

 

There being just over 80,000 Australian service personnel this seems to be an initial partial upgrade only.

 

The Thales EF88 is an upgraded version of the Austrian Steyr AUG that has been further developed by the Australian arms industry (an industry that has been declared "non-existent" by gun control forensic advisor adjunct associate professor Philip Alpers ).

 

 

 

I haven't heard what decision the NZDF have arrived at regarding their rumoured change-over to an AR15 style gun such as the 'Bushmaster' as used by NZ Police - but they might well be influenced by this Australian proposal.

 

Marty K.