The U.S. Army Contracting Command intends to begin soliciting proposals to award a firm fixed price 5-year contract for the production of M203 grenade launchers.

The service is asking for the production of M203 and M203A2 grenade launchers.

The M203 is a family of a single-shot 40 mm rifle-mounted grenade launcher designed for the U.S. M16 and its variant, the M4 carbine.

The purpose of the 40mm grenade launchers is to provide personnel with offensive and defensive capabilities to engage targets in the field. These weapons provide the Soldier with a lightweight, operator friendly, flexible, lethal, and reliable tool.

The device attaches under the barrel, the launcher trigger being in the rear of the launcher, just forward of the rifle magazine. The rifle magazine functions as a hand grip when firing the M203. A separate sighting system is added to rifles fitted with the M203, as the rifle’s standard sights are not matched to the launcher.

It should be noted that new M320 systems have been developed to replace the M230 family of grenade launchers.