Editing SA80 (section)

===Accepted into service: 5.56×45mm, L85A1, L86A1, L98A1===
{{multiple image
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 | caption1 = L85A1 with SUSAT
 | image2 = SA-80 rifle stripped 1996.jpg
 | caption2 = L85A1 field-stripped
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 | caption3 = Field-stripped L85A2 (post-2009 model)
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After receiving feedback from users and incorporating the various design changes requested, including adapting the rifle for use with the heavier Belgian SS109 version of the 5.56×45mm round and improving reliability, the weapon system was accepted into service with the British Armed Forces in 1985 as the SA80. The SA80 family originally consisted of the L85A1 Rifle, the L86A1 Light Support Weapon (LSW), and L98A1 Cadet GP Rifle. The first weapons were issued in October 1985.{{sfn|Grant |2016}}{{page needed|date=July 2021}}<ref name="OffTarget"/>

The SA80 family was designed and produced by the [[Royal Small Arms Factory]] at [[Enfield Lock]]. In 1988, production of the rifle was transferred to the Nottingham Small Arms Facility owned by [[Royal Ordnance]] (later [[British Aerospace]], Royal Ordnance; now [[BAE Systems]]), the site was previously known as [[ROF Nottingham]]. It was envisaged that the family would replace the L1A1 SLR, the [[Sterling submachine gun|L2A3 (Sterling) submachine gun]], the [[Bren light machine gun#L4|L4 Light Machine Gun]] (a modernised [[Bren light machine gun|Bren]]), and the [[FN MAG#British versions|L7A2 General Purpose Machine Gun]] as used at section level. Regular infantry, [[Royal Marines|Royal Marine]] units, and the [[RAF Regiment]] were to change over by 1987, remaining regular army units by 1990, remaining RAF units by 1991, [[Territorial Army (United Kingdom)|Territorial Army]] units by 1991–1993, and the Royal Navy by 1993.{{Sfn|Grant|2016|p=74}}

In 1994, production was officially completed. More than 350,000 L85 rifles and L86 LSWs had been manufactured for the British Armed Forces, with the former variant accounting for 95% of the total run,{{Sfn|Grant|2016|p=74}} with over 21,700 L98A1 rifles were produced for cadet use.<ref name=FOI201503633>{{cite web |url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/492755/20150427-FOI2015_03633_L98A1_Rifle-O_revised.pdf| title=FOI2015_03633 Memo|work=Ministry of Defence|date=28 April 2015}}</ref> The production line was broken up shortly afterwards, with the Nottingham facility closing in 2001. Upgrade programmes and requirements for spare and replacement parts have since been fulfilled by then British-owned [[Heckler & Koch]], which later reopened the Nottingham site.{{citation needed|date=July 2021}}

As responsibility for the funding and supply of the home defence regiments of the [[British Overseas Territory|British Overseas Territories]] has been handed to the local governments of the territories, despite the regiments themselves coming under command of the national (British) government and being loosely integrated with the British Army, the SA80 was not automatically supplied to these units. The [[Royal Bermuda Regiment|Bermuda Regiment]] adopted the [[Ruger Mini-14]] in 1983, although small stocks of the L85 were also acquired for the purpose of familiarisation training as many of its personnel attend courses or attachments in Britain.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2013-01-14|title=Photos Of Bermuda Regiment Weapons Demonstration|url=https://bernews.com/2013/01/photos-regiment-weapons-demonstration/|access-date=2023-01-09|website=Bernews}} Photographs 27 and 28 of 52</ref> The Regiment later acquired an additional 400 L85A2 rifles in 2015 to replace the Mini-14 as the standard-issue rifle.<ref name="royalgazette.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.royalgazette.com/article/20150805/NEWS/150809844|title=Rifles worth $1.4m donated to Regiment |work=The Royal Gazette: Bermuda News|date=5 August 2015|access-date=30 May 2017}}</ref>

The [[Royal Gibraltar Regiment]], which is more closely integrated with the British Army, adopted the SA80 from the outset. The [[Falkland Islands Defence Force]] adopted the [[Steyr AUG]] (another 5.56×45mm bullpup rifle)<ref>{{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110815045503/http://articles.janes.com/articles/Janes-Amphibious-and-Special-Forces/Special-Forces-Land-Falkland-Islands.html |url=http://articles.janes.com/articles/Janes-Amphibious-and-Special-Forces/Special-Forces-Land-Falkland-Islands.html |archive-date=15 August 2011 |access-date=28 May 2018 |title=Special Forces (Land) (Falkland Islands), Amphibious and special forces |work=Jane's Amphibious and Special Forces |date=25 November 2010}}</ref> which served until 2019 when the Defence Force adopted the L85A2 as part of a wider effort to align its weapons, training and procedures with those of the British Armed Forces.{{citation needed|date=July 2021}}

The L85 is in use with the [[Jamaica Defence Force]].<ref name="MJ">{{cite web |url=http://www.thegunzone.com/556dw-10.html |title=The 5.56 X 45mm: 1990–1994 |access-date=15 June 2009 |first=Daniel |last=Watters |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100104174808/http://thegunzone.com/556dw-10.html |archive-date=4 January 2010}}</ref> Various African and South American countries received SA80s as part of wider military aid packages.{{Sfn|Grant|2016|p=75}}