| M16A4 | |
|---|---|
 The M16A4 rifle with an M203 underbarrel grenade launcher | |
| Vital statistics | |
| Name | M16A4 |
| Faction | USMC |
| Type | Assault rifle |
| Fire Mode | 3-round burst/Semi |
| Caliber | 5.56mm x 45mm NATO |
| Magazine Size | 30+1 |
| Range | 600m |
| Damage | Medium (High with AP rounds) |
| Used By | All USMC classes |
The M16A4 is a USMC infantry rifle in Operation Flashpoint: Red River, and is the default primary weapon for the Rifleman class.
Origin[]
The M16 was introduced into the U.S. Army in 1963 (soon after becoming the primary rifle of the U.S. Air Force) and became the standard service rifle for the Army in 1969, replacing the M14. Initially plagued with problems, mainly due to the assumption that the rifle did not ever need to be cleaned, the M16 was hated by many of the troops it was issued to. After such complaints were made, the government finally did issue a cleaning kit and manual for the M16 rifle, as well as making minor changes to the rifle itself, like chrome-lining the barrel, a practice that had been common after World War I, and featured on other U.S. rifles (such as the M1 Garand, M1 carbine, and M14) but absent on the original M16. This version was then renamed the M16A1. The M16A2 entered service in the 1980s, replacing the M16A1's fully-automatic fire with three-round-burst to save ammunition. The M16A3 soon entered service exclusively with the U.S. Navy, incorporating the technological and ergonomic advantages of the M16A2, but with the automatic-fire feature of the M16A1. In 2004, the M16A4, the version featured in-game, was introduced into the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Army in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Specifications[]
The M16A4 fires the standard intermediate rifle cartridge, the 5.56mm x 45mm NATO round. The main feature of the M16A4 over previous M16s is the replacement of the fixed carrying handle on top of the upper receiver with a "flattop" receiver with a Picatinny rail to more easily mount optics, though a removable carrying handle is often used as the iron sights. The M16A4, like the M16A2, only fires in three-round burst or semi-automatic, helping to conserve ammunition and make more accurate shots.
Attachments[]
The M16A4, like the M4A1, features the full spectrum of in-game attachments.
- M16A4 A - M16A4 with an M203 underbarrel grenade launcher
- M16A4 SUP - M16A4 with a flash/sound suppressor
- M16A4 CQB - M16A4 with an EOTech-style holographic sight
- M16A4 RDS - M16A4 with an Aimpoint-style red dot sight (default for Rifleman class)
- M16A4 M - M16A4 with a Trijicon ACOG-style marksman scope
- M16A4 SN - M16A4 with a Leupold-style sniper scope
- M16A4 NO - M16A4 with an infrared thermal night-optic scope
