Military deal

Kitchener’s Colt Canada lands $32-million machine-gun contract

KITCHENER — Colt Canada has officially landed a $32-million contract for new machine guns for the Canadian Armed Forces.

Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan announced Wednesday that the government will purchase 1,148 new C6A1 FLEX general purpose machine guns from Colt Canada, located in Kitchener.

The weapons are intended to replace the aging, Belgian-designed C6 machine guns that were obtained more than 30 years ago. Some of those weapons have been taken out of service due to wear and tear, a release notes, while others are reaching the end of their service life.

As a key small arms supplier to the Canadian Armed Forces, Colt Canada had been identified as the likely candidate to produce the new C6 for at least a couple of years. Among other products, the company produces the C7 assault rifle and variants for Canadian soldiers and police services, along with militaries in countries including Denmark, the Netherlands and the UK.

The contract is expected to result in 13 new jobs at the Colt plant on Wilson Avenue, which currently employs about 100 people.

“It gives us a greater level of certainty,” said director of programs Alex Payne.

While Colt has been called upon to provide parts and components for the older C6 guns over the years, this is the first time the company will be building a complete C6. “It creates a lot of excitement, a lot of enthusiasm,” Payne noted.

The guns are expected to be delivered between September 2018 and June 2019, along with equipment and accessories such as a cleaning and repair kit, spare parts and a carrying sling.

“The Government of Canada is committed to providing the Canadian Armed Forces with the modern equipment they need to successfully carry out operations at home and abroad,” Sajjan said in a release. “This purchase will replace equipment that was procured over 30 years ago and will ensure that the CAF are properly equipped and continue to be ready for operations.”

The new fully-automatic guns are aircooled and gas and spring-operated. They can be carried or attached to vehicles, and will feature a polymer butt stock, rather than the current wooden one. Soldiers can also attach such things as optical sights and pointing devices to the weapons.

“It’s something we’re very proud of,” Payne said.