The Canadian government will purchase more than 1,100 new machine guns from a local business unit of the US-based Colt arms manufacturer in a deal worth around $25.6 million, Defense Minister Harjit Sajjan said in a statement on Wednesday, Sputnik reported.
"The Government of Canada will purchase 1148 new C6A1 FLEX General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMG) from Colt Canada," Sajjan said. "The value of the contract is $25,644,690 including taxes."
The machine guns currently in the Canadian inventory are more than 30 years old, the release noted. The new C6A1 FLEX (flexible) is to be carried by soldiers or attached to vehicles such as the new Tactical Armoured Patrol Vehicle.
Colt Canada will start delivery of the new machine sometime in Sept. 2018 with final deliveries scheduled for June 2019, the release added. The purchase includes cleaning and repair kits, spare parts, and slings to carry the weapon.