MA37 assault rifle

The MA37 Individual Combat Weapon System, formally known as the Individual Combat Weapon System, Caliber 7.62 mm, MA37, is the standard-issue service rifle of the UNSC Army. It is produced by Misriah Armory and is known as the MA5 by the Naval services.

Overview
The MA37 assault rifle is an air-cooled, gas-operated, magazine-fed, fully automatic bullpup rifle that fires 7.62×51mm ammunition and was first introduced in the year 2437. It comes standard with a rail mounted ammunition indicator and magnetic compass for orientation unlike other MA5 series rifles, which have these features built in.

The MA37 features a grip with a notch for the finger, similar to A2 pistol grip on a 20th/21st century AR-15. The barrel features a flash hider on the end which appears to be designed to direct gas (which produces flash and noise) upward, rather than forward, which would help to reduce felt recoil and muzzle climb. The rifle features a cheek riser on the receiver. The MA37 also features an ambidextrous magazine release and an ambidextrous selector switch. The MA37 also features vents on the rifle's chassis near the barrel assembly, which facilitate air cooling of the barrel as the weapon fires.

Copies of the weapon were mass-produced at the Misriah Armory Rajtom Facility on Reach.

Differences from MA5C ICWS in Halo 3

 * Major cosmetic differences such as a more skeletal and detailed body, shorter overall length, ammunition counter appearing as an attachment rather than an integrated part of the weapon.
 * Maximum ammunition capacity decreased from 352 to 288 rounds.
 * Slower rate of fire and decreased damage per round: takes 19 shots to kill a fully shielded Spartan instead of 16.
 * Larger reticule. Short, controlled bursts are much more accurate than sustained fire.
 * Shots have hitscan properties; shots fired would hit instantly.
 * Reload, melee animations, and firing sound have been changed to make it feel more like the MA5B from Halo: Combat Evolved.

Trivia

 * If the player participated in the Halo: Reach Multiplayer Beta, which was obtainable with a copy of Halo 3: ODST, a unique nameplate emblem of an MA37 is obtainable for use on Xbox LIVE in multiplayer.
 * The binary code 01000100011000010111011001100101 is displayed at the bottom left of the MA37's ammunition counter. This represents "Dave," in reference to Dave Candland, UI designer for Halo: Reach.
 * Although only the MA37's fully automatic setting is used in-game, the fire mode selector is modeled in the semi-automatic position.
 * In the Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary announcement trailer, the MA5B assault rifle uses the MA37's model as a placeholder model. In the final game the weapon uses the MA5C's model from Halo 3 and Halo 3: ODST.

List of appearances

 * Halo: Reach
 * Halo: Spartan Assault
 * Halo: Spartan Strike
 * Halo: Last Light
 * Halo: Ground Command
 * Halo Mythos
 * Halo Wars 2
 * Halo: Envoy
 * Halo: Collateral Damage
 * Halo: Official Spartan Field Manual