LVOA
{{Infobox weapon
| name = LVOA
| image = File:LVOA-C.jpg
| image_size = 300
| alt = An LVOA-C
| caption = An LVOA-C
| type =
| origin = United States
| is_ranged = yes
| is_UK =
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| wars =
| designer = War Sport Industries
| design_date = 2010-2013
| manufacturer = Warsport (2013-2018)
ZRODelta (2018-Present)
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| mass = {{cvt|3.2|kg|lb}}
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| caliber = 5.56×45mm NATO
| barrels = .223 Wylde
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The LVOA is an AR-15–style rifle designed by War Sport Industries and currently manufactured by ZRODelta. The LVOA is semi automatic, with multiple variants, such as the LVOA-S and the later LVOA-C and LVOA-SP.{{Cite web |date=2015-09-09 |title=LVOA -SP (AR PISTOL) - WAR SPORT LVOA® {{!}} Warsport-us.com |url=http://warsport-us.com/shop/war-sport-lvoa/lvoa-s-rifle-59.html#.VfAJSxbP1S8 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150909102612/http://warsport-us.com/shop/war-sport-lvoa/lvoa-s-rifle-59.html#.VfAJSxbP1S8 |url-status=usurped |archive-date=2015-09-09 |access-date=2025-02-11 }}
History
War Sport Industries developed the rifle as its option for "Low Visibility Operation / Applications for the modern warfighter",{{Cite web|url=http://www.warsport-us.com/about.html|title=War Sport {{!}} About Us {{!}} War Sport Manufacturing|website=www.warsport-us.com|access-date=2016-08-30|archive-date=2016-08-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160828035727/http://www.warsport-us.com/about.html|url-status=usurped}} in an effort to provide a relevant response to current unconventional warfare environments and as a solution to short barreled rifles for close quarters combat.{{Cite web |date=2013-12-25 |title=History of the LVOA {{!}} LVOA |url=http://lvoa.us/?page_id=50 |access-date=2024-09-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131225214618/http://lvoa.us/?page_id=50 |archive-date=2013-12-25 }} In late 2010, Warsport reached out to John Boyette from Trace Armory Group to help study the philosophy behind short barreled rifles, and how they were going to go about designing and creating a new solution to the short barreled rifle intended for close quarters combat. By 2012, Warsport had a working prototype of the LVOA rail that was intended to reduce muzzle flash and to manage the unspent gas.{{Cite web |date=2013-10-17 |title=History of the LVOA {{!}} LVOA |url=http://lvoa.us/?page_id=50 |access-date=2024-10-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131017110520/http://lvoa.us/?page_id=50 |archive-date=2013-10-17 }} The rifle was shown off at SHOT Show of 2013 after Warsport had a full prototype and was released to the public that same year.
The LVOA's final testing was done by DMACK from Ranger Proof and had the same response as others who had also tested the rifle.
In 2017, Warsport changed the design of the handguard for the LVOA-C to be M-LOK{{Cite web |last=C |first=Nicholas |date=2017-01-17 |title=Warsport Updates The LVOA {{!}} SHOT 2017 |url=https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2017/01/17/industry-range-day-warsport-updates-lvoa-shot-2017/ |access-date=2024-09-24 |website=thefirearmblog.com |language=en}}
In 2018, War Sport was acquired by ZRODelta,{{Cite web|last=Candice Horner|date=2018-01-16|title=War Sport is Dead, ZRODelta is Carving a New Path|url=https://www.recoilweb.com/war-sport-is-dead-zrodelta-is-carving-a-new-path-133011.html|access-date=2020-10-15|website=Recoil|language=en-US|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20230426112141/https://www.recoilweb.com/war-sport-is-dead-zrodelta-is-carving-a-new-path-133011.html|archive-date=April 26, 2023}} which now maintains the LVOA weapons line.{{Cite web|title=Range Ready™ LVOA®|url=https://zrodelta.com/product/range-ready-lvoa/|access-date=2020-10-15|website=ZRO Delta|language=en-US|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20230426115139/https://zrodelta.com/product/range-ready-lvoa/|archive-date=April 26, 2023}} However, the design of the LVOA was slightly changed and no longer comes with some of the features and accessories it came with before such as the War Bungee cord and the B5 Systems stock.
Specifications
The LVOA-C is a direct gas-impingement (DGI) operated rifle based on the Colt AR-15. It features a proprietary full-length fore-end with an integrated muzzle brake/flash suppressor, which prevents the use of a suppressor due to size constraints. The rifle is used for close-quarters combat with low visibility operation applications (LVOA). The sporting rifle has both chamber options of 5.56×45mm NATO for the carbine specification and .223 Wylde for the SBR specification.{{Cite web |title=War Sport Industries LVOA-C (Carbine) / LVOA-S (Select-Fire) Tactical AR-15 Carbine/SBR/Sub-Carbine Platform with Low-Visibility Operations Application Rail System and LVOA Rail Bungee |url=https://defensereview.com/war-sport-industries-wsi-lvoa-c-carbine-lvoa-s-select-fire-tactical-ar-15-carbinesbrsub-carbine-platform-with-low-visibility-operations-application-rail-system-and-lvoa-rail-bungee/ |access-date=2023-04-21 |website=DefenseReview.com (DR): An online tactical technology and military defense technology magazine with particular focus on the latest and greatest tactical firearms news (tactical gun news), tactical gear news and tactical shooting news. |language=en-US|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20230426014127/https://defensereview.com/war-sport-industries-wsi-lvoa-c-carbine-lvoa-s-select-fire-tactical-ar-15-carbinesbrsub-carbine-platform-with-low-visibility-operations-application-rail-system-and-lvoa-rail-bungee/|archive-date=April 26, 2023}}
The LVOA-C weighs {{convert|7|lb|kg}} unloaded ({{convert|7.5|lb|kg}} with a 30-round magazine) and measures {{convert|35.5|in|cm}} in length ({{convert|32.75|in|cm}} with a closed stock).{{Cite web|url=http://www.omahaoutdoors.com/blog/war-sport-lvoa-c-a-new-approach-to-the-ar-15-rifle-review/|title=Rifle Review: War Sport LVOA-C - A New Approach to the AR-15|work=Omaha Outdoors|date=2015-04-13|language=en-US|access-date=2016-08-30|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20230426065711/http://www.omahaoutdoors.com/blog/war-sport-lvoa-c-a-new-approach-to-the-ar-15-rifle-review/|archive-date=April 26, 2023}}
Media presence
The LVOA has been featured in movies such as Transformers: Age of Extinction and Transformers: The Last Knight; and video games such as Tom Clancy's The Division, The Division 2, Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Wildlands, XDefiant.{{cn|date=February 2025}}