ARX-160

Conventional layout light-weight modular assault rifle presented to the Italian Armed Forces by Beretta. Launched in 2008, in hope to replace the older AR70 in the Italian Army and to gain international contracts, Beretta developed the ARX160 based on the previous product AR70/90, aimed to improve ergonomics and performance while reducing weight and dimensions from it's predecessor. The A2 variant of rifle is slowly becoming the standard servicing arms in several branches of the Italian Armed Forces. The ARX160 is a gas-operated rotating bolt operated rifle designed to be able to refit to fire different calibre cartridge, ARX160 is able to cover an effective range up to 500 metres, achieving a rate of fire of 700 rounds per minute. Primary cartridge is the 5.56x45mm NATO rounds, but unlike the other modular NATO rifle projects such as HK416/417 that would use the 7.62x51mm NATO, the secondary cartridge of choice for the ARX is the Soviet 7.62x39mm M43. Though note that the modular kit that converts and allows ARX to fire the M43 was introduced in 2012, adaptation of other calibres such as the Soviet 5.45x39mm M74 and the 6.8mm Remington were planned but later on cancelled, two civilian semi automatic only variant that cannot exchange parts with the ARX160 make use of the .223 Remington (ARX100) and .22 Long Rifle cartridges (ARX160 22LR) separately.