Rare early (1971) Lithgow full auto L1A1!!

[Gil Boyd]

I think those visiting officers to the UK, see a rifle they shoot on the ranges here and hold nothing but admiration for it. Those running the ranges clearly are too young to know the full in's and out's of the SA80's dark days, so in short the Indians think it is now a good proven operational rifle, and filter that back to those in charge.
I am not saying the Excalibur project is floundering, but from what they were saying they are now throwing good money after bad!
A sentence we have heard many times here before. It is a culmination of interfering agencies and budgets, and department heads that run on efficiencies, but mostly, it is the politics that slow these projects down, having been involved in one or two with stuff I still supply to MOD today.
A tad frustrating when the kit has been on trial in some cases for 4 years on operations, and units deciding to local purchase rather than wait for the green light from DSTL/Fort Halstead or whoever ticks that ultimate box.
So I sympathise with the Indian Army, who like us, only want the best for their troops, to make sure they do have a sharp point on their spear when they need it, surely is not too much to ask in these days of manufacturing brilliance in the armnaments world!!