West Hartford gun maker Colt has been awarded a $12.4 million follow-on contract to make additional weapons to be supplied to Israel.
The latest award is a modification to a $26.7 million contract given to Colt in May of this year to produce M4A1 carbines, silencers and flash suppressors.
The M4A1 is a fully automatic assault rifle – it is the primary service weapon for the U.S. military.
The latest contract is expected to be completed in June of 2025. The contract is being handled by the U.S. Army Contracting Command, Newark, New Jersey,
An Israeli request in 2023 for 24,000 assault rifles in the wake of the October 7th Hamas attack initially drew criticism from some U.S. lawmakers who were concerned that the guns might end up in civilian hands, contributing to additional violence in the region.
It also sparked protests outside Colt’s West Hartford facility from pro-Palestinian demonstrators.
