A new framework deal for the acquisition of the Suppressed Upper Receiver Group (SURG) has been signed by the Sig Sauer company and the U.S. Special Operations Command, officials said on 27 July.

The contract, announced Friday by the U.S. Department of Defense, provides acquisition of the Suppressed Upper Receiver Group (SURG). The SURG weapon is an upgrade of the M4A1 lower receiver group in support of U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) Procurement Division.

According to the DoD, Sig Sauer Inc., Newington, New Hampshire, was awarded a USD48 million five-year, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, firm-fixed-price contract.

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The majority of the work will be performed in Newington, New Hampshire, and is expected to be completed by July 2023.

U.S. Special Operations Command buy conversion kits from Sig Sauer to turn existing M4A1 carbines into new MCX Rattler personnel defense weapons, or PDWs.

According to The War Zone, this purchase is in response to the command’s nearly year-old requirement for a tiny assault rifle able to fire both .300 Blackout and 5.56x45mm rounds.

The M4A1 is a fully automatic variant of the M4 carbine – a shorter and lighter variant of the M16. It went into service in 1994 to replace the M16 in certain roles.