MA5B/S-II ICWS Assault Rifle

The MA5B/S-II ICWS Assault Rifle was a UNSC firearm and a variant of the popular MA5B rifle with a few minor modifications. It was made for SPARTAN-II soldiers who found a liking for it, but only a few were produced.

Appearance
The MA5B Assault Rifle is a bullpup (magazine behind trigger) fully-automatic rifle. Its magazine can completely fit inside the weapon; it therefore is quadruple-stacked to carry 60 rounds of 7.62mm. This titanium alloy and polymer assault rifle firing with a gas-operated with a rotating-bolt must be cocked before the first shot can be fired. The charging handle used to chamber the round is situated on the left side of the gun and moves during operation. Once the first round is fired, the gases from that round and those to follow impinge upon a gas piston, which pushes back the bolt carrier, rotating the bolt inside and continuing to chamber rounds until the magazine is empty. Once the magazine is empty, the charging handle must either be pulled back and locked or, must be fully cycled after a fresh magazine is inserted to load the next bullet. The magazine release button is located above the magazine housing. The ejection port is located on the right side of the gun above the mag housing. The MA5B/S-II has a rifled barrel that is 60.7 cm (24 in.) long and is higher quality than the standard MA5B. It has an overall length of 88 cm (34.6 in.). The MA5B/S-II can be fitted with a number of different attachments including things such as a flashlight. The power button for the flashlight attachment is located behind the grip near the trigger. The MA5B/S-II also has a digital display on top of the gun which displays the remaining rounds in the current magazine as well as a N/NW/NE/E/SE/S/SW digital compass. This weapon also has a safety located on the handle of the gun.

Development
The MA5B/S-II began development in 2551, as the final stage for project MJOLNIR began to look more and more likely. It was designed from recomendations of SPARTAN-IIs in the field, improving on what the SPARTANs disliked about the weapon. By early 2552 it began production, having very little research needed due to it's close similarity for the already combat proven MA5B standard. The first batch was finished and delivered in early August, and the second was finished and handed out only days before Reach fell.

Changes from standard MA5B
Though only slightly different from the MA5B, it did feature some notable changes.


 * Red Ammo Counter for easier visibility at night and underwater
 * Directional arrow replaced with true N/NW/NE/E/SE/S/SW digital compass
 * Improved computer suite, along with improved close range accuarcy, which recognized when enemy targets were at best range and shrunk targeting reticule
 * Slightly more accurate at medium distances

Field Usage
The weapon featured very little field usage. The first batch of rifles, delivered in August of 2552, were loaded aboard the Pillar of Autumn. However, these were loaded into a special weapons cache for the SPARTANs--even though there were enough to supply the autumns entire crew. This weapons cache was destroyed during the Battle of Reach, so none were used. Only one other batch was ever produced, a batch of 3,000, slightly larger than the first batch (2,600). Many of these were destroyed when Reach was glassed, but around 1,000 of the units escaped destruction and saw limited usage during the Second Battle of Earth.

Flaws
The weapons primary flaws was it's stopping power. While accuracy was improved (especially at close range) it still fell victim to the lack of hitting power of the standard MA5B. It was also heavier, but keeping in mind it was construced strictly for SPARTAN-IIs, this was not much of a worry.

UNSC Remarks
"Its not much heavier than the em eh five bee, but its not light either. Then again, the original wasn't a feather either."

"I'm glad it comes with a real compass. Actual compasses tend to get broken or lost, and the ones issued a a pain in the ass to use."

"Range and accuracy have gone up due to higher quality barrels, but the thing still takes a clip and a half or even two full clips at mid range to bring down a damned elite. Then again, it kills grunts in five or so bullets, but they don't have shields."

"Its to bad so few were ever made; I got my hands on one once and used it well. Got a spike nade stuck to it though, and that was the end of that."