User:The parkster/M3A S3D7 Combat Rifle

The , or more colloquially the Delta Rifle, is the Office of Naval Intelligence, Section Three, Delta-7 Division's primary special operations combat rifle as of the year 2600. With high power, accuracy and range, yet low recoil and audio signature, this expensive weapon is used exclusively with experienced Delta-7 operatives.

Background
During the UNSC's rearmament prior to the new century, the ONI received a lot funding for expansion of units and personnel, refurbishment of infrastructure and upgrades and new production of varying materiel. Section Three, and specifically Delta-7 Division, obtained a fair amount of funding for new programmes and projects. Delta-7, amongst other things, produced new weaponry with this rise in income. The main new addition to the Delta-7 arsenal was this weapon. Two models were created and tested before the final field-ready model was officially introduced for the new century.

M1A S3D7 Assault Rifle
Starting life off as an assault rifle, many problems were initially encountered. Price was never an issue due to the funding received from the universal rearmament, however its expensive materials failed to work co-operatively with each other. The internal mechanics were too powerful for the outer casing of the weapon to withstand. Parts came loose under vigorous testing and overheating became a huge issue too.

M2A S3D7 Combat Rifle
After completely going back to the drawing boards and about three years later the second attempt at creating the perfect special operations weapon commenced. After realising that the initial concept behind the weapon being an assault rifle, thus aiming for certain military criteria, was wrong. The decision to adapt the weapon to suit a combat role was made, therefore changing the name and consequently functions of the weapon. It performed much better than its troublesome predecessor however it still was too heavy for the required maximum weight specification and too loud for its other, covert operations, role.

M3A S3D7 Combat Rifle
After a year and a half of tweaking the internal and external mechanics and materials the final production-pending model was tested and surveyed extensively to ensure ultimate satisfaction and combat performance amongst its future operatives and weapon technicians. Meeting all specific design requirements and exceeding a few in some cases, the weapon was well and truly developed and ready for special and covert warfare. In 2600 Delta-7 finally privately produced limited amounts of this weapon at its Alpha Cryolite Manufacturing Complex on Bauxite. This weapon served in the AUR-Remnant War and into the Necros War too. However its secretive existence, high expense and exclusive use meant that it was very rarely sighted on the battlefield.

M3B S3D7 Combat Rifle
Little were the internal mechanics modified for the covert variant of the, however audio and heat signatures were reduced too increase the weapon's stealth capabilities, although without any significant affect on other attributes such as accuracy, range and power. Apart from that the only other additions were a laser sight, which can be switched between infa-red or visible-red light depending on the operative's choice. Also a semi-built-in advanced suppressor was attached to the barrel to again lower the weapon's audio and visual signatures. All of these modifications and upgrades cost the manufacturers twice the amount to produce this variant than the original M3A. Therefore this variant was used extremely rarely. Most Delt-7 units merely added a suppressor to the M3A model, which was far cheaper but less effective than the M3B covert variation.