The ARWEN 37 (Anti Riot Weapon ENfield) is a British non-lethal launcher designed by Norman Brint, Jack Comley and Leon Williams and produced by RSAF Enfield.
History[]
The British Army commissioned RSAF Enfield to develop a multi-shot riot gun to replace the single-shot Federal Riot Gun in the 1970s. A series of prototypes were developed by a team headed by Norman Brint, including the pump-action XL75E1, the rotary magazine XL76E1, and the self-loading XL77E1. After many trials, the XL76E1 was chosen for further development, and was introduced in the early 1980s as the ARWEN 37.
When RSAF Enfield collapsed in 1988, the rights to the ARWEN were acquired by British Aerospace, before they were sold in 2001 to Canada-based Police Ordnance Company Inc., who currently handles the production and promotion of the weapon.
Design[]
The gas-operated ARWEN features a five-round rotary cylinder, which is easily accessible for reloading as opposed to the break-open barrels seen in single-shot launchers. This, combined with the weapon's repeat-fire nature, improved its rate of fire, particularly when needing the user to lay down a protective wall of anti-riot ordnance on advancing mobs of rioters.
Variants[]
- ARWEN ACE - Single-shot, breech-loaded model which fires specialized smoke and baton rounds.
- ARWEN Multi-S - Short-ranged variant with no stock and a shortened barrel.
- ARWEN 37 Multi-V - Vehicle-mounted version.
- ARWEN 37 Mark III - Modernized version featuring a rifled barrel, A37-AM4 tactical mounts, and numerous other features.
Ammunition[]
The weapon uses a special type of 37mm round with a rebated rim on its case. The round has a total of nine variants:
- AR-1 - Standard impact baton
- AR-2 - Pyrotechnic irritant
- AR-3 - Irritant impact baton
- AR-4 - Pyrotechnic screening smoke
- AR-5 - Barricade penetrating irritant
- AR-6 - Muzzle blast irritant
- AR-7 - Multi-ball area impact round
- AR-8 - Soft-tip impact baton
- AR-9 - Sub-caliber training/marking round
See also[]
References[]
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