Watch: The next-generation assault rifle that can communicate with other troops

A next-generation assault rifle that can communicate with other troops has been unveiled by the UK's Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl).

The Future Individual Lethality System (FILS) allows operators to identify a target and hand that target off to other members of a team who may be in a better position.

It can communicate data throughout a team and includes a multispectral sight – fusing normal visual sight with infrared and thermal, giving it round-the-clock optical capabilities.

• Virtual defence time machine preparing military leaders for the future
• 'Eyes on the battlefield': The new tech that finds enemies for you
• 'Cutting-edge' laser weapons to be developed for British military

Tim Duncan-Stewart, Principal Scientist at Dstl, told Forces News: "The site and the target hand-off doesn't really compare to the types of capabilities that the UK military are generally using."