Has Japan released it's newest assault rifle?
May 19 (UPI) -- Japan's Ground Self-Defense Force will receive new rifles for the first time since 1989 to defend the country's southwestern islands, Japanese media reported this week.
The rifles, are called Type 20 assault rifles because they were produced in Fiscal 2020, were unveiled Monday at the Defense Ministry in Tokyo.
The new rifles are said to be more water-resistant and built for use in amphibious operations on the Nansei Islands, where the GDSF has recently been shifting troops, reportedly in response to increased naval actions by China in the island chain, which stretches about 745 miles om the Osumi islands in Kagoshima Prefecture to Yonagunijima island in Okinawa Prefecture.
The new rifles were made by Howa Machinery Limited, which also manufactured the Type 89 rifles the GDSF received 31 years ago, as part of a competitive bidding process.
The government will spend about $8.3 million to buy 3,000 of the rifles this year -- or $2,600 each.
Troops are expected to receive the rifles in fiscal 2021.
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Howa makes some great stuff, imo. Did they use M-16s ? before 0 -
They use the Howa Type 89. Japanese export laws regarding military firearms are so stringent that I have seen exactly one example. It is actually a very nice rifle and since I'm not a large man (most Japanese are smaller than typical western males), it is sized very nicely. The Type 89 also has a very effective muzzle brake. I use a copy of the Type 89 brake on a few of my non suppressed ARs. 0 -
Put a U.S. made copy, of the Japanese Type 89 Comp. On a 7.62 X 39 AR build. It seems to be very effective, as Mark notes. It's been a couple/3 years? But as I remember, the U.S. manufacturer was Strike Industries.mark christian said:They use the Howa Type 89. Japanese export laws regarding military firearms are so stringent that I have seen exactly one example. It is actually a very nice rifle and since I'm not a large man (most Japanese are smaller than typical western males), it is sized very nicely. The Type 89 also has a very effective muzzle brake. I use a copy of the Type 89 brake on a few of my non suppressed ARs.0 -
Looks like a cross between a SCAR & an AR. 0 -
The former Japan Defense Force weapon, Howa Type 89:This article has lots of detail photos including breakdowns and internals:Best.0
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Howa makes good firearms for the money for public sold items. But 2600.00 is a lot for an assault rifle. I think the weatherby rifle was made by them too.
serf
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"The government will spend about $8.3 million to buy 3,000 of the rifles this year -- or $2,600 each." $2600 x 3000 = $7,800,000
I guess the Japanese government does better with contracting than ours does. There's only $500,000 missing.0 -
Henry0Reilly said:"The government will spend about $8.3 million to buy 3,000 of the rifles this year -- or $2,600 each." $2600 x 3000 = $7,800,000
I guess the Japanese government does better with contracting than ours does. There's only $500,000 missing.
Bear in mind that these are long term contracts which often consist of maintenance, parts and upgrades. The rifle may initially cost about $600.00 (government/bulk discount) but the contracted cost is $2,600.00 to cover everything else.Best.0 -
It is also worth noting that since the Japanese government will never allow export sales of the rifle, Japan has to bear the entire cost of development, tooling, and production of what will be (in the big scheme of things) a relatively small production run. Including reserves, the entire Japanese Self Defense Force only fields about 300,000 troops, so that's not going to be a lot of rifles coming off the production line. 0 -
A pictorial essay focused on the Japanese self defense forces infantry weapons - including the above referenced aforementioned newly adopted assault rifle (a bakers dozen relevant examples)...
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