NEWTOWN, Conn. - The Chilean Army has chosen the Galil ACE 5.56mm assault rifle from Israel Weapon Industries (IWI) as its new standard assault rifle.
In 2007, the Chilean Defense Ministry launched Project Titanio to procure new standard rifles for both the Army and Marine Corps. The Marines made their selection before the Army and an order for 2,000 5.56mm M4 assault rifles from U.S. manufacturer Colt was placed in early 2013. However, the procurement fell through due to budget limitations. Another selection was quickly made and an order for 1,800 SCAR-L and SCAR- H arms from Belgian manufacturer FN Herstal was placed in July 2013. The Navy plans to order a second batch to bring the total number of new weapons up to 3,500.
The Marines favored durable rifles that would withstand inhospitable environmental conditions and be able to incorporate a range of accessories. The Army, on the other hand, prioritized the possibility of assembling the rifles in Chile and integrating a percentage of locally manufactured components.
In addition to IWI's Galil ACE, the Chilean Army also considered the 556 from Swiss company SIG Sauer. The SIG rifle was said to be the favorite due to the Army's familiarity with the weapon; the Army has several rifles SIG Sauer in inventory, including the 5.56mm SIG 540, 7.62mm SIG 510, 7.62mm SIG 542, and 7.62mm SIG 550.
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