The Flintlock 2023 annual military exercise certainly allowed the forces of the Moroccan Royal Navy’s special intervention unit to show off their tactics but also their new Verney-Carron VCD-15 assault rifles.
The simulation of the assault against the Spanish navy patrol boat “Audaz” as part of the Flintlock 2023 military maneuvers gave us the opportunity to discover the new Verney-Carron VCD-15 assault rifles that the Special Forces of the Royal Moroccan Navy began to use.
The Moroccan Armed Forces were also one of the main protagonists of Flintlock 2023, the military exercise organized by the United States Special Operations Command for Africa (US SOCAFRICA) in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire. .
In the Ghana tactical scenario, a team from the Moroccan Navy’s Special Intervention Unit forces carried out a simulated assault against the Spanish Navy’s “Audaz” patrol boat, as well as other operational scenarios. specials on land. Previously, the weapon used was the German Heckler & Koch HK MP-5 9 mm submachine gun, or, during certain training sessions, its plastic replicas, indicates the specialized site Defensa.
Today, as part of the complete and rapid modernization of the armed forces of the Kingdom of Morocco, continues the same source, the German submachine gun has been replaced by the VCD-15 semi-automatic assault rifle, an individual weapon developed by the French company Verney-Carron, based on the American AR-15.
The historical company Verney-Carron, the largest and oldest French manufacturer of hunting weapons based in Saint-Etienne, developed this weapon in the NATO standard 5.56X45 mm caliber or 300 blackout, which is powered by 10- or 30-round magazines, compatible with the Alliance’s STANAG standard, with those of other weapons of the same caliber.
This is an assault rifle with a length of 815 mm and a weight of 3.5 kilograms. Its structure is in aluminum, in the handguard, which covers the steel barrel with a length of 36.8 cm. The upper part is equipped with picattiny rails, on which can be fixed telescopic sights, laser pointers, night vision systems, tactical torches…
The rifle stock is made of polymer and adjustable according to the size of the shooter. In addition, its fire-safety selector is located on both sides of the weapon, for use by both right-handers and left-handers.
Remember that Flintlock is an annual military exercise organized and led by US SOCAFRICA since 2005. This year’s maneuvers were held in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire from March 1 to 15, 2023, with approximately 1,300 soldiers from 30 participating countries. .
This exercise aims to strengthen the capacity of key partner countries in the region to counter violent extremist organizations, to collaborate across borders and to ensure the security of their populations, while respecting human rights and strengthening the trust with civilian populations.
According to the organizer, the strong participation of African and international partners reflects a mutual commitment to countering malicious activities and violent extremism throughout the Sahel region and West Africa.