The Australian Army will be upgrading their current F88 Australian Steyr to the EF88.
It will have the following improvements.
-Longer top rail, side and bottom rails for attachment of weapon ancillaries.
-Designed for optimal performance with new interoperable F1A1 5.56mm ammunition.
-Length of Pull has been shortened by 15mm – improves the ability of the operator to handle the weapon while wearing body armor.
-Modular Lower Fore End – enables operator to change ancillaries and roles in the field.
-Floating Barrel – removal of attachment point from barrel increases the accuracy and reliability of the weapon.
-Fluted Barrel – reduction in barrel weight and increase in performance.
-Folding Cocking Handle – improvement in ergonomics and correction of vulnerability in current design.
-Improved Butt design – increased strength to improve safety, ejection port cover recessed to improved operator interface and reliability.
-Provision for Electronic Architecture – to allow centralized control and power management of ancillary devices.
-Bolt-together Butt – to allow access to fit, maintain and repair the Electronic Architecture components.
-Improved Butt Plate – Improves operator interface and correction of vulnerability in current design.
-Improved Grenade Launcher Mount – improves the balance of the weapon, reducing operator fatigue and increasing accuracy.
-Side-opening Grenade Launcher – can fire all currently available 40mm low velocity grenades (current M203 Launcher is limited).
-Improved Grenade Launcher safety – reduces possibility of unauthorized discharge and danger to operator in the event of misfire.
