Special Operations Peculiar Modification

Program SOPMOD

The Special program Operations Peculiar Modification , or SOPMOD , is a program of the Armée with the United States. It is intended to standardize the weapons and additional employees among the American Special forces, SOF ( Forces of special operations ), in particular the SF ( US Army Special Forces ) and SEAL ( Sea, Air and Land , Commando S of the US Navy).

It consists of a SOPMOD Accessory Kit provided for their rifles M-4A1 including/understanding a vast range of accessories standardized ideally adapted to the needs met in their special operations. The purpose of these modifications of the M-4A1 are to increase the Létalité and the Survivabilité of the operators of the special forces while improving of the particular points of the weapon like acquisition of the target, the discretion of the shooting or the firepower. The program is financed by the Command of special operations (US SOCOM) and is developed by the Naval Surfaces Warfare Center - Crane (NSWC-Cranium, service of the equipment of Navy) before becoming the program-headlight of the SOCOM.

Program SOPMOD is divided into several sections, or “ blocks ”, of modifications and industrialization. The phase known as Block 1 took place of 1994 with 2004, that of Block 2 began in 2000 and must finish in 2007. Block 3 and 4 were also envisaged but were cancelled, the phase Block 3 should have been developed between 2005 and 2011.

SOPMOD Block 1

Specifications

The SOPMOD Block 1 must as follows improve the possibilities of the operators of the special forces:

acquisition, identification and aiming of the objectives in an active way and passivates, in diurnal and night conditions, with the M-4A1, up to 600 m of distance
aimed limited (passive and diurnal only) with the M-203 grenade thrower, with ranges being able to go up to 250 m
reduction of the signatures visual and sound, the latter of 30 dB (decibels)
additional intended to improve ergonomics for the CQB (Closed Quarters Battle, combat in closed mediums, in particular urban)
additional intended to improve mobility

This Block 1 is summarized with a kit including/understanding a M-4A1 and about fifteen accessories being able to be gone up or dismounted on the weapon according to the user's needs. These accessories are for the majority of the NDI/COTS (Non-Developmental Item/Commercial Off-Tea-Shelf), i.e. objects already existing assets on rack and even already used in a way not standardized by certain SOF. The M-4A1 thus equipped is called M-4A1 Modular Rifle System or Modular Weapon System.

Accessories

The accessories are conditioned in batches whose each specimen must make it possible to equip four rifles. These accessories are the following:

Additional in four specimens per batch:

hand-shields LAUGH M4 of the firm KAC, which does not comprise less than four standard rails MIL-STD-1903 " Picatinny" (American military standard), in positions higher, lower, side left and right-hand side, in addition to the higher rail of the case of the weapon, to mount the accessories
a handle before KAC Forward Hand Grip, particularly useful when the weapon overheats
diurnal glasses Trijicon ACOG 4 X 32 version ADJ001 NSN for the shootings up to 600 m, i.e. the maximum range of the M-4A1
a metal rise of help (A) 1 (Backup Iron Sight), the BOXWOOD (Back Up Iron Sight) of firm KAC, for the case where optics is unusable
a strap of combat

Accessoires in two specimens per batch:

a collimator Trijicon Reflex camera version RX01M4A1 (nonmagnifying) for the CQB
a laser of aiming Insight Technologies AN/PEQ-2 ITPIAL (Infrared Target To point/Illuminator/Aiming Laser) infra-red visible with an intensifier of light
a lamp-torch VBL 1 (Visible Bright Light), Streamlight VLI (Visible Illuminator Light)
a silencer/flame guards KAC M4QD

Additional in a specimen by batch:

a grenade thrower Colt M-203A1 (shortened version of M-203, with a gun court of 9" with 12" for traditional M-203) with an assembly KAC QD of KAC
a rise of M-203 modified
a visible laser of aiming AN/PEQ-5 CVL (Laser Visible Carbine)
a bag for the batch
a handle of transport assembled on rail (identical to that of the M-4A1) integrating a standard rise A2

Additional of unknown number per batch:

a night sight AN/PVS-17 MNVS (Mini Night Sight Vision)
a support of optics UPM (Universal Pocketscope Mount) for an/PVS-17
of non-skid protections for the hands for the rails of fixing of accessories
of the bags of storage for 4 or 16 weapons

In practice the operators of the SOF do not hesitate to supplement their batch while borrowing from other units which are not on mission.

Kit SOPMOD Block 1 thus makes it possible the special forces to configure their M-4A1 before the combat in function the mission to come, which it is held in CQB or desert medium allowing of the shootings long distances. Some 2972 kits were ordered by the SOCOM in October 1999. It also underwent series of tests in USMC (US Marine Body) which found very adapted it in CQB but which employment only very seldom the M-4A1 because of the unreliability of certain parts, noted in the few units of the USMC equipped with this weapon (Recon and Force Recon, etc). The concept is not limited to the special forces, because the conventional units of the American forces in operation in Iraq use also many accessories assembled on their M-4A1. The cost of this kit is also limited, because the accessories (except AN/PVS-17 MNVD) are equipment already on sale.

AN/PVS-17 MNVS (Mini Night Sight Vision)

AN/PVS-17 MNVS was developed especially at the request of the SOCOM for program SOPMOD. It passed the operational tests in 1999.

Limits

However, this kit is not that a series of accessories assembled on a weapon, the ones like the other not being new, with the result that the improvements are weak compared to that of which could already lay out the forces of the SOCOM. Moreover, the unreliability of the M-4A1 does not make of them an excellent choice for a weapon having to be standardized for all the SOF. Lastly, certain accessories are not used by the special forces, which prefer others to them. It is the case of the Reflex camera, often replaced by the Aimpoint M-68 CCO or of EOTech HWS; it is also the case of the rises of help BOXWOOD MAD (Multiple Device Aperture), which firm GG&G developed at the request of NavSpecWarCom and KAC Flip-Up Rear Sight adjustable from 200 to 600 m, used by the USMC Force Recon on its own M-4A1. One can still quote other equipment like the tactical lamps (many SureFire models, sometimes Maglite or Streamlight instead of the VBL) or the handles before (Special the Forces use of SureFire M900A and of the TRG Gear Mono pod, the USMC Det-1 uses as for him SureFire handle-torches (M900A, M900AB, M910A) and handles TangoDown BGV-Mk46 on its Barrett M468).

Corrections

Because of these criticisms, kit SOPMOD Block 1 was several times modified.

Added accessories

ECOS-CQB (EOTech HWS 550)
Mask antireflets ARD (Anti-Reflective Device) for glasses ACOG
ACOG PIP with assistance with the aiming of help MRD (Miniature Red Dowry)
" caches" for an/PEQ-2 giving a form to the laser beam (square, cross…) in order to identify it when several operators employ it on the same zone
assemblies throw-rising type for an/PVS-17 MNVS
AN/PVS-17A PIP (kit of improvements of which elements for its assembly, MRD…)
VBL 2 PIP (miniaturized version of the lamp)
assembly QD improved of M203
assembly improved of silencer M4QD
flexible bags of transport

Replaced accessories

VLI/VBL 1 replaced by the VBL 2 (SureFire)
Trijicon Reflex camera replaced by the ECOS-N (Aimpoint CompM2) in the kits of NavSpecWarCom intended for the SEAL since September 2002; although it is not present in the kits for the other SOF, Aimpoint (or EOTech) is used in the place of the Reflex camera.

Improvements of the M4A1

HRM (Alum) (High Reliability Magazines (Aluminum)) : new more reliable chargers
Strap of NavSpecWarCom
Selector ambidexter
new mechanics of extraction
ATS arming lever increased
stick LMT SOPMOD Stock called SCP (Sloping Cheekweld Buttstock)
system of association of chargers Redi-Mag

Future

Accessories under development

(A) 2 to replace the (A) 1/KAC BOXWOOD
VBL 3 to replace the VBL 2 and VBL 2 PIP
LAUGH 2 to replace LAUGH 1/KAC LAUGH
HRM (Steel) to replace the HRM (Alum), program directed by US Army

Requests of the users (with the study)

systems of enlargement for the assistances with the aiming (Aimpoint 3XMag)
ATS arming lever deviating the gases
Lamp SureFire Scout Light

SOPMOD Block 2

Launched in 2000 same time as Block 3, the SOPMOD Block 2 aims to improve the M 4A1 of the short-term SOF (between 2001 and 2004) more effectively than Block 2, whereas Block 3 was to lead to a serious standardization of the weapons of the medium-term special forces (of 2005 to 2010). Compared to Block 1, Block 2 is more ambitious, because it envisages the development of entirely new accessories, but also of new alternatives of the weapon. This double whole of R & D (research and development) took place in 2000 and 2001, and must largely increase the capacities of the operators on many points compared to Block 1: (in fat new performances compared to Block 1)

acquisition, identification and aiming of the objectives in an active way and passivates, in diurnal and night conditions, with the M-4A1, up to 800 m of distance, with new equipment developed to replace the obsolete accessories
new grenade thrower more powerful to replace the M-203A1, with a passive aiming and activates, diurnal and night up to 400 m of distance , with a high probability of attack of the objective of the first shooting
creation of " upper receivers" (higher cases of the weapon) modified adapted to the CQB and the shooting to long distance, with the optics especially conceived for these uses and a reduction of the signatures visual and sound
low costs to limit the budget necessary to this Block

Another difference important is that the accessories of Block 2 (which include/understand those of Block 1 if they are not replaced) must be compatible with all the weapons of SOF, not only M-4A1: SCAR, Mk.11 MOD 0, SPR, CQBR, Mk.46 MOD 0 and Mk.48 MOD 0.

In May - June 2001, SOPMOD PMO (SOPMOD Program Management Office, service charged to supervise program SOPMOD) announced the priority subroutines of the SOPMOD Block 2. The characteristic of Block 2 compared to Block 1 is its division on the one hand in higher whole of the receptacle (" receiver" in English) of the M-4A1 by others especially adapted to certain precise uses, and in addition out of new accessories.

Accessories

new lance-grenade unit to replace the M-203A1:

ELGM (Enhanced Grenade Launcher Modulates) with side loading to be able to fire the long ammunition noncompatible with M-203. Competition in progress enters a model of the British firm Istec and the AG-C of the German firm HK. Its assembly must be done on LAUGH 2 instead of the gun not to change the point of impact of the rifle. Ag-C seems favorite considering its adoption by SAS; it received the denomination of XM-320 besides.
EIFM (Indirect Enhanced Fire Ammunition): advanced grenades of 40 X 46 mm
GLD/NSM (Grenade Launcher Day/Night Sight Mount): diurnal/night sight replacing the " leaf sight" and " quadrant sight" of M-203. Contract gained by Wilcox Industries in March 2002, his equipment is classified AN/PSQ-18 and was used in Afghanistan then in Iraq.

ECOS : the ECOS are the new helps with the aiming diurnal (equipped with a night capacity limited in the shape of an enlightened reticle) so possible equipped with protections ARD (Devices Anti-Reflection) and LPD (Laser Devices Protection). 2 models are required:

ECOS-C : helps with the aiming for the rifles, combining a function shooting reflex the two eyes open (system not red or different) and enlargement limited for the shooting to average outdistances. The enlargement must thus be variable approximately 1 to 3 or 4 X. The only model of this currently existing kind is Leupold Mark 4 CQ/T 1-3 X 14 mm (or Aimpoint with module 3XMag), but the separate contracts launched by the SOCOM were allotted to ELCAN, Trijicon and EOTech. In the final analysis, EOTech was selected like ECOS-CQB, and the remaining candidates for the ECOS-C are Trijicon with an improved ACOG 4x and ELCAN with its Specter DR. 1-4x.
ECOS-SPR: glasses for the shooting with long range with Mk.12 MOD 0/1 SPR to replace Leupold TS-30, having at the same time capacities of combat with very short range with an enlargement a weak (1x with 2x) and reticle enlightened and adapted to the shooting long distance with a maximum enlargement of 6x with 8x.

CNVD-T (Clip one Night Device Vision - Thermal)
CNVD-I ² (Clip one Night Device Vision - Image Intensification)
ATPIAL (Advanced Target To point/Illuminator/Aiming Laser): addition of a green laser and an order without wire
FMBS (Family off Muzzle Station-wagons/Suppressors): series of silencer

" receivers"

Four receivers were initially envisaged in program SOPMOD (was cancelled), each one having for objective to give a weapon adapted to a specific utility:

PMOD (Platform MODifications) are an improvement of the M-4A1 and M-16A3 which preserves their dimensions
SPR (Special Purpose Receiver) transforms the M-4A1 into rifle of precision to average carried
CQBR (Closed Quarter Battle Receiver) gives a rifle runs standard " commando" adapted to the urban combat
SPR-V (Special Purpose Receiver Variable) were to make it possible to convert the M-4A1 in other gauges to use ammunition taken with the enemy, but these alternatives were abandoned.

In fact, the SPR and CQBR such that they exist (and the SPR-V1 in its time) became weapons with share, because they are generally assembled with a lower receptacle of M-4A1, and not transported detached in addition to the M-4A1. With the result that the word " Receiver" symbolized by the R of SPR and CQBR is often replaced by " Rifle". Because of the times taken by Block 2, the CQBR and SPR were put in services independently and they are in service since at least 2002 for the SPR and 2004 for the CQBR.

SOPMOD Block 3

The SOPMOD Block 3 must be even more effective than the precedent by the use of state-of-the-art technologies sometimes just emergent.

Bonds

Internal bonds

M16 (rifle)
M-4 Colt and M-4A1
SCAR
Mk.11 MOD 0

External bonds

official report on kit SOPMOD of February 2005

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