History

The Accuracy International Arctic Warfare rifle is a family of bolt-action sniper rifles designed and manufactured by the British company Accuracy International. It has proved popular as a civilian, police and military rifle since its introduction in the 1980s.
 
Arctic Warfare rifles are generally outfitted with a Schmidt & Bender PM II  telescopic sight with fixed power of magnification or with variable magnification. Variable telescopic sights can be used if the operator wants more flexibility to shoot at varying ranges, or when a wide field of view is required. Accuracy International actively promotes fitting the German made Schmidt & Bender PM II/MILITARY MK II product line as sighting components on their rifles, which is rare for a rifle manufacturer. However, the German and Russian Armies preferred a telescopic sight made by Zeiss  over Accuracy International's preference.

The Accuracy International PM (Precision Marksman) rifle was entered into a British competition in the early 1980s as a replacement for the Lee-Enfield derived sniper rifles then in use by the British Army (e.g. L42A1). The Accuracy International rifle was selected over the Parker Hale M85. The British Army adopted the Accuracy International PM in 1982 into service as the L96A1 and outfitted the rifle with Schmidt & Bender 6x42 telescopic sights. In this configuration the rifle is capable of first shot hits with a cold, warm or fouled barrel. Tests with 10.89 g (168 gr) ammunition provided sub 0.5 MOA ten-shot groups at 91 m (100 yd) and the rifle was supplied with a telescopic sight, bipod, five magazines, sling, cleaning kit and tool roll, encased in a fitted transport case.
 

 
Some years later, the Swedish military were also on the hunt for a new rifle, and in the early 1990s Accuracy International entered an upgraded version of the PM, now known as the AW or Arctic Warfare. This was the start of the Arctic Warfare name, which would become the primary name of the rifle family despite its earlier names.
 
The rifle now featured special de-icing features allowing it to be used effectively at temperatures as low as −40 °C (−40 °F). The stockhole, bolt, magazine release and trigger guard on the AW are large enough to facilitate use with heavy Arctic mittens. This version was accepted into use by the Swedish Army in 1991 as the Prickskyttegevär 90 (Psg 90).
 
The modifications to the original PM or L96A1 made the British Army decide to adopt the "improved" AW version as well, designated L118A. The rifles were fitted with Schmidt & Bender MILITARY MK II 3-12x50 telescopic sights offering the operator more flexibility to shoot at varying ranges, or in situations when a wide field of view is required. This rifle has seen service in recent conflicts such as Operation Granby and Operation Telic.

 
It has since spawned an entire family of sniper rifles using the Arctic Warfare name, and has been adopted by a number of other countries, including Australia, Belgium, Germany, Indonesia, Ireland, Latvia, Malaysia, Norway, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Other AI rifles descended from the L96A1 include the AI AE, and the AI AS50 (see variants below).
 
Most Arctic Warfare rifles are chambered for the 7.62x51 mm NATO cartridge, but it can also be fitted for other cartridges. It is mounted with a muzzle brake to cut down on recoil, jump and flash.
 
Each country's rifles differ slightly. The Swedish Psg 90 for example, uses a Hensoldt (Zeiss) scope and can also use sabot rounds. In 1998 the German Bundeswehr adopted the first folding-stock Magnum version of the AW chambered in .300 Winchester Magnum (7.62x67 mm) and with optics made by the German company Zeiss as the Scharfschützengewehr 22 (G22).
 
The AW's complete parts interchange ability and reliability in adverse weather conditions have made it a popular, if expensive, weapon. The rifle offers good accuracy (a capable marksman can expect ≤ 0.5 MOA consistent accuracy with appropriate ammunition), and its maximum effective range with a Schmidt & Bender 6×42 PM II scope is around 800 metres (870 yd).
 
The Arctic Warfare family's main commercial competitor/equivalent on the high end factory sniper rifle market is the Sako TRG product line, that is capability-wise, generally on par with the Arctic Warfare system but somewhat less expensive.

Singleplayer/Spec-Ops

Multiplayer

The L118A is unlocked early on, as soon as Create-a-Class is unlocked. The L118A has high damage multipliers, killing reliably from the stomach up. The rifle's light weight grants relatively higher mobility at the cost of slightly more recoil, and a standard rate of fire for a bolt-action rifle. Its reload is manageable but slow, and can only be partially mitigated with Sleight of Hand.

Attachments

Attachments	Challenges	Icon
ACOG Scope	Get 20 kills while looking through a ACOG Scope attached to a Sniper Rifle.
Silencer	Get 15 kills with a Silencer attached to a Sniper Rifle.
Thermal	Get 40 kills while looking through a Thermal attached to a Sniper Rifle.
Extended Mags	Get 40 kills with Extended Mags attached to a Sniper Rifle.
Heartbeat Sensor	Get 40 kills with a Heartbeat Sensor attached to a Sniper Rifle.
Variable Zoom	Get 40 kills while looking through a Variable Zoom Scope attached to a Sniper Rifle.

Proficiencies

Proficiency	Description	Icon
Kick	Kick Reduces recoil by 20%, allowing for steadier full-auto and faster recovery from shots.
Impact	Impact grants maximized penetration for any weapon. This is especially powerful on Assault Rifles and SMGs, as LMGs already have strong penetration, and Sniper Rifles are difficult to use for intentional walling shots.
Attachment	Allows the use of 2 Attachments. It is a solid all-around Proficiency, useful in many situations. This Proficiency is also notably useful for stealth builds, as it allows you to use a Silencer alongside any other Attachment. The Attachment Proficiency is also helpful if you are still getting comfortable with iron sights, as it allows you to take and optical Attachment and a second utility Attachment.
Focus	Reduces visual recoil by 50% when you are hit. Focus is very effective for SMGs and Shotguns. It is also helpful for ARs, as it can keep your shots on target when you enter a heads-up one-on-one firefight.
Speed	Improves movement speed by 10%, or one step up on the mobility scale. Speed is an important upgrade for LMGs and Riots Shields. It is less critical for Sniper Rifles, excepting the Barret and AS50, which are heavier and slower than other Sniper Rifles.
Stability	Reduces idle sway by 25%. Consider this to be an 'automatic' Breath for long-range combat. It is most useful on LMGs, as they need the enhanced accuracy for long-range shots, though ARs also benefit from it.

Challenges