Assault rifle

Description
An Assault Rifle is a selective-fire firearm using a projectile with a muzzle energy in between those of a full-sized rifle and a smaller weaponlike a submachine-gun or a pistol. Assault rifles are categorized in between light machine guns, which are intended more for sustained automatic fire in a support role, and submachine guns, which fire a pistol cartridge rather than a rifle cartridge.

History
Assault Rifles date back to the end of the Second World War. Germany developed the first assault rifle, a weapon called the Sturmgewehr 44, in 1944, in an effort to provide their infantrymen with a firearm better suited to the mid-rnaged enagements of modern warfare. Then came the Russian AK-47, which basically set the definition of assault rifle. By the time of the Halo trilogy, most assault rifles also house an onboard electronics suite, showing ammo capacity, a compass and other information without the use of a HUD.

These could refer to the following:
 * MA2B Assault Rifle- The stripped-down version of the MA5B Assault Rifle.
 * MA3 Assault Rifle- The older variant of the MA5B Assault Rifle.
 * MA5 Series
 * MA5B Individual Combat Weapon System- The standard UNSC armament in from the early-2500's to 2552. It was phased out shortly after the Battle of Reach and the Battle of Installation 04. (Halo 1)
 * MA5C Individual Combat Weapon System- A new MA5 model introduced in late-2552 during the Second Battle of Earth and the Battle of Installation 00. (Halo 3)
 * MA5K Carbine- A special version of the MA5B Assault Rifle utilized by the SPARTAN-III's and other Special Operation forces.