It seems the Afghans are moving to the AR platform, along with the Georgians.

After a frustratingly long three-year wait, the fledging Afghan National Army finally has a new weapon in its arsenal: the Canadian C7 rifle.

Some 42 boxes of surplus weapons arrived at the ANA base just up the road from Kandahar Airfield last week, Brig.-Gen. Gul Aqa said Wednesday in an interview with The Canadian Press. And training is already underway. Aimed at replacing the Afghan army’s old Soviet-era AK-47s in order to bring the force’s fire power capabilities in line with that of NATO countries, the Canadian rifles are a welcome addition, Aqa said. “They’re very modern and new weapons and the C7 is a real necessity for the ANA,” he said through a translator. He said the AK-47s often jam, leaving soldiers vulnerable to enemy fire. “It’s the difference between old and new.”

It’s a project that’s been in the works for several years.

The C7 rifle

Hat Tip: The Western Star