Australia to Provide Thales ACAR to Papua New Guinea Defence Force

Summary

Australia plans to supply the Papua New Guinea Defence Force (PNGDF) with over 3,000 Thales ACAR (Australian Combat Assault Rifles), manufactured by Thales at the Lithgow facility. This decision, revealed in a February Senate meeting, aims to achieve commonality in supply chains between Australia and PNG. The ACAR is available in multiple calibers including 5.56mm, .458 SOCOM, 6.5 Grendel, 6mm ARC, and .300 BLK, featuring cold hammer forged and chrome-lined barrels in various lengths.