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Aug. 17, 2015 / 3:02 PM

New Zealand military chooses U.S. firm for new rifle

New Zealand Ministry of Defense selects Lewis Machine & Tool of Illinois as preferred tenderer for the replacement of army rifles.

The Steyr AUG being replaced by the New Zealand Defense Force. Photo by Steyr Mannlicher.

The Steyr AUG being replaced by the New Zealand Defense Force. Photo by Steyr Mannlicher.

WELLINGTON, New Zealand, Aug. 17 (UPI) -- An American gun manufacturer has been named the preferred tenderer to supply the New Zealand Defense Force with a new combat rifle.

The selection of Illinois-based Lewis Machine & Tool as the preferred tenderer was announced by the New Zealand Ministry of Defense last week following a trials program phase of the contract evaluation process.

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The New Zealand Defense Force currently uses Steyr AUG rifles, a 5.56×45mm assault rifle designed in the 1960s. The replacement of about 8,800 rifles is part of a larger firearms replacement program.

In competition against Lewis Machine & Tool were: Beretta New Zealand Limited, Ceska zbrojovka a.s., Colt Canada Corporation, FN Herstal, Steyr Mannlicher GmbH, XTEK Limited and Heckler & Kock GmbH.

Additional details were not disclosed by the Ministry of Defense.

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