In a recent announcement, the U.S. Government has released a 7 million dollar award modification notice for Colt Defense’s over 35 million dollar contract to provide M4 and M4A1s in the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. This modification notice specifically mentions the countries of Georgia, Lebanon, Iraq, Slovakia, Pakistan, and Bahrain.This latest modification tacks on another 7 million dollars for the additional countries, specifically mentioning the number of 8,730 M4/M4A1 carbines. The numbers bring this to around $800 per carbine, but we assume the actual cost per rifle is much lower with the extra cost being taken on by other equipment.

Colt Defense LLC, West Hartford, Connecticut, was awarded a $7,453,690 modification (0005) to foreign military sales (Georgia, Lebanon, Iraq, Slovakia, Pakistan and Bahrain) contract W56HZV-15-D-0038 for 8,730 M4/M4A1 rifles. Work will be performed in West Hartford, Connecticut, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 31, 2018. Fiscal 2017 other funds in the amount of $7,453,690 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Michigan, is the contracting activity.

When the contract was first announced for over 36 million dollars in May of 2015, the countries of Jordan, Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Colombia, Hungary, Oman, Panama, Romania, Senegal, Lebanon, and Romania were announced to have participated in the sales program. If the price of the carbines is indeed around the $800 mark, then this original contract should be around 40,000 carbines overall for that price range.

Colt Defense LLC, West Hartford, Connecticut, was awarded a $36,104,812 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity foreign military sales contract (Jordan, Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Colombia, Hungary, Oman, Panama, Romania, Senegal, Lebanon, Romania) for M4/M4A1 carbines. Funding and work location will be determined with each order with an estimated completion date of May 21, 2018. Bids were solicited via the Internet with one received. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Michigan, is the contracting activity (W56HZV-15-D-0038).

The Republic of Georgia doesn’t use Colt M4s but instead Bushmaster AR15s as issued to the countries rank and file troops. My assumption with these M4/M4A1s with all of these countries is these are primarily arming the special operations communities to give them a weapon that is similar to what many of their ally within the United States are using. We’ve seen this extensively with Iraqi ISOF troops and Afghan Commandos using Colt carbines. This has a psychological benefit if foreign troops are using what their U.S. counterparts are using during training and operations. In addition, beyond the small arms aspect, I’m sure there is more to the reason why these specific countries are participating in the FMS program, such as the United States bargaining for better relations.