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The Australian government is exploring options to provide 3,500 Australian-made automatic rifles to the Papua New Guinea Defence Force under an announcement made earlier this year.
Australia originally pledged to supply the 3,500 Australian-made automatic rifles to the PNGDF as part of a larger $35 million defence aid package in October this year; however, the exact model of rifle has yet to be revealed.
The modern weapons are considered part of the new PNG–Australia Mutual Defence Treaty, also known as the Pukpuk Treaty, and are intended to enhance PNGDF’s operational readiness.
“Australia is working with the Papua New Guinea Defence Force to consider options (for the 3,500 Australian-made automatic rifles),” a Defence spokesperson confirmed to Defence Connect.
“At the 2025 Papua New Guinea-Australia Ministerial Forum, Papua New Guinea and Australia agreed to strengthen the Papua New Guinea Defence Force’s capability through the provision of Australian-made combat rifles.
“Arrangements for providing the replacement weapons will include upgrading armouries, training and additional measures to enhance weapons security.
“This announcement supports our commitment to increasing interoperability between our defence forces, as formalised in the Papua New Guinea–Australia Mutual Defence Treaty, signed in October 2025.”
Defence may be at a strategic cooperability impasse as the Australian Defence Force currently uses the 5.56mm NATO chambered EF88 bullpup-style rifle, while the PNGDF has traditionally used standard configuration M16A2 assault rifles and even Australian-made L1A1 SLR rifles.
It’s speculated that Australia may supply standard configuration 5.56mm Australian Combat Assault Rifles (ACAR), manufactured by Thales Australia, to bridge the training gap.
ACARs have allegedly already been tested by members of the Australian Federal Police and the ADF’s 2nd Commando Regiment. Thales Australia did not reply to questions asked about the discussion and selection.
Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles confirmed the rifle delivery discussions but did not elaborate on which rifles were being considered.
“We will be providing 3,500 rifles to the PNG Defence Force over the course of the next four years and when we include the work we’ll be doing in terms of armouries and the like, that’s a $35 million commitment,” he said during a joint press conference at the PNG-Australia Ministerial Forum.
“We are supporting the PNGDF and we’re supporting them in the capabilities that they need. We're also supporting them in building their capacity,” he said during a separate interview in Port Moresby.
“We continue to work with the PNGDF to make sure that what it has in place around the security of its arsenals are there, and we will continue to do that. But what we will be is a partner that an alliance expects between our two countries, and in that, we will continue to be a reliable partner.
“We will provide material to the PNGDF and we will work with them to build their capacity, and that includes around the security of how that material is maintained and handled.”
