page_title: M16 rifle
section_title: Users
hierarchical_section_title: M16 rifle / Production and users / Users
caption_attribution_description: Afghan National Army soldiers with the 215th Corps provide security during an urban operations training exercise at Camp Bastion in Helmand province, Afghanistan, March 11, 2014. The exercise was part of a four-week rifleman's course at the Regional Corps Battle School. (DoD photo by Cpl. Cody Haas, U.S. Marine Corps/Released)
context_page_description: The M16 rifle, officially designated Rifle, Caliber 5.56 mm, M16, is a family of military rifles adapted from the ArmaLite AR-15 rifle for the United States military. The original M16 rifle was a 5.56mm automatic rifle with a 20-round magazine.
  In 1964, the M16 entered US military service and the following year was deployed for jungle warfare operations during the Vietnam War. In 1969, the M16A1 replaced the M14 rifle to become the US military's standard service rifle. The M16A1 improvements include a bolt-assist, chrome-plated bore and a 30-round magazine.
  In 1983, the US Marine Corps adopted the M16A2 rifle and the US Army adopted it in 1986. The M16A2 fires the improved 5.56×45mm NATO cartridge and has a newer adjustable rear sight, case deflector, heavy barrel, improved handguard, pistol grip and buttstock, as well as a semi-auto and three-round burst fire selector. Adopted in July 1997, the M16A4 is the fourth generation of the M16 series. It is equipped with a removable carrying handle and Picatinny rail for mounting optics and other ancillary devices.
  The M16 has also been widely adopted by other armed forces around the world.
context_section_description:  Afghanistan: Standard issue rifle of the Afghan National Army. Colt Canada C7 variants also saw limited service.
   Argentina: Special Forces used the M16A1 in the Falklands War and they currently use the M16A2 (by all Armed Forces).
   Azerbaijan: M16A4, used by the special forces and State Border Service (DSX).
   Bahrain
   Bangladesh: M16A4, used by the military, special forces and counter terrorism units.
   Bosnia and Herzegovina: M16A1
   Barbados
   Belize
   Bolivia
   Brazil: M16A2s used by Brazilian Marine Corps
   Brunei M16A2 is used by the Royal Brunei Armed Forces as their main service rifle.
   Burundi: Burundian rebels
   Cambodia M16A1
   Cameroon
   Canada: C7 and C8 variants made by Colt Canada are used by the Canadian Forces.
   Central African Republic
   Chile M16A1 used by Chilean Marine Corps.
   Congo-Kinshasa
   Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda
   Costa Rica
   Denmark: C7 and C8 variants made by Colt Canada are used by all branches of the Danish Defence.
   Dominican Republic
   East Timor M16A2
   Ecuador
   El Salvador M16A1/A2/A4
   Estonia Ex-U.S. M16A1s
   Fiji
   France: used by counter-terrorism and special operations forces
   Gabon
   Ghana M16A2
   Greece M16A2/A3/A4/M4 is used by the Special Forces of the Hellenic Army ISAF Forces in Afghanistan, Hellenic Air Force and the Hellenic Navy.
   Grenada
   Guatemala M16A1/M16A2.
   Haiti
   Honduras M16A1
   India
   Indonesia
   Iraq: Used by Iraqi Army.
   Kurdistan Region: Used by Peshmerga.
   Israel Being replaced by IMI Tavor.
   Ivory Coast
   Japan: M16A1 is used by Western Army Infantry Regiment along with Howa Type 89 rifles.
   Jamaica
   Jordan M16A1/A2
   Nicaragua: Used by the National Police of Nicaragua and army.
   North Korea: M16A1 (probably unlicensed copies) used by KPA special forces. Used during the Gangneung incident in 1996.
   South Korea: During the Vietnam War, the U.S. provided 27,000 M16 rifles to the Republic of Korea Armed Forces in Vietnam. Also, 600,000 M16A1s (Colt Model 603K) were manufactured under license by Daewoo Precision Industries with deliveries from 1974 to 1985. KATUSA (Korean Augmentation to the U.S. Army) soldiers who serve in the U.S. Army use the M16A2.
   Kuwait M16A1/A2.
   Latvia:
   Lebanon M16A1/A2/A4.
   Lesotho
   Liberia M16A2
   Lithuania: Lithuanian Armed Forces
   Malaysia Malaysian Armed Forces, Royal Malaysia Police, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency and RELA Corps.
   Mauritius
   Mexico: M16A2 is used by the Mexican Marines in the Mexican Drug War.
   Monaco: Compagnie des Carabiniers du Prince
   Morocco M16A1/M16A2/M16A3/M16A4
     Nepal M16A2 and M16A4; captured M16A2 were also used by Maoist rebels of the People's Liberation Army, Nepal during the Nepalese Civil War.
   Netherlands: C7 and C8 variants are used by the Military of the Netherlands and LSW is used by Netherlands Marine Corps.
   Nicaragua
   Nigeria
   Oman
   Pakistan M16A1
   Palestinian Authority: Used by Palestinian Security Forces and various local militant forces.
   Panama M16A1.
   Papua New Guinea M16A2.
   Bougainville: Used by Bougainville Revolutionary Army. Captured from Papua New Guinea Defence Force.
   Peru M16A2.
   Philippines: Manufactured under license by Elisco Tool and Manufacturing. M16A1s and M653Ps in use. Supplemented in Special Forces by the M4 carbine.
   Poland:The Polish Military Unit GROM used civilian M4 clones, or Bushmaster XM15E2S M4A3 and KAC SR-16 Carbine, as the basic weapon. Since 2008, they have been replaced by the HK416 rifle.
   Portugal: A small number of M16A2s are used by the Special Actions Detachment of the Portuguese Navy.
   Qatar M16A1.
   Senegal: M16A1 and M16A2
   Sierra Leone: 1,000+ M16A1s in use
   Singapore: Local variant of the M16A1 (M16S1) manufactured under license by ST Kinetics.
   Somalia
   South Africa: Used by Special Forces. Likely received from Moroccan stocks.
   Sri Lanka
   Sweden A small number of M16A2s are used by the Swedish Armed Forces for familiarization training, as well as a similar number of AKMs, but they are not issued to combat units. The Ak 4 and Ak 5 rifles are used by Swedish Army.
   Taiwan Type 65, 85 and 91 Taiwanese Assault rifles modeled after the M16A2
caption: Afghan National Army soldiers with M16A2 rifles
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