The L129A1 Sharpshooter rifle will fire a 7.62mm round and will enhance accuracy of engagement during longer-range firefights with the Taliban.
The weapon will be used by some of the best shots in the infantry.
New sights are also being purchased for the rifle, including the ACOG 7.62mm x 6 day sights made by Trijicon of the US and Magnum Universal night sight, sourced through Omni Tech Partners of the US.
Both sights are being bought by Beechwood, the UK agent and distributor for Trijicon and Omni Tech.
Personal Laser Range Finders will be provided by Vectronix, Switzerland.
The Trijicon sights have been in the news recently as their products have Bible verses etched on them, provoking the ire of Defence forces that hadn't realised the significance of the ‘serial numbers'.
Trijicon has said that they will remove the etchings from future sights and have offered removal kits to the US Army.
No doubt Australia will also be in the market for such kits!
More than 400 of the semi-automatic Sharpshooter rifles have been bought as a £1.5 million Urgent Operational Requirement.
It is the first new infantry combat rifle to be issued to troops for more than 20 years.
Training on the rifles will begin in mid-January 2010 and the first batch will be sent to Afghanistan later in the year.