Yeah, I should have clarified, "M-16" is just the military designation that was applied to the AR platform. It's not actually the manufacturer's terminology. The AR was created, chosen by the military, and then a civilian, semi-auto only version was released. And you're right, it was first employed by the USAF. It was initially meant as a replacement for the M1 Carbine, which saw heavy use among paratroopers, tankers, and air crews. It served alongside the M-14 for a while, but as the AR platform was refined and the M-14 was phased out, it became the standard issue weapon.
Yeah, I should have clarified, "M-16" is just the military designation that was applied to the AR platform. It's not actually the manufacturer's terminology. The AR was created, chosen by the military, and then a civilian, semi-auto only version was released. And you're right, it was first employed by the USAF. It was initially meant as a replacement for the M1 Carbine, which saw heavy use among paratroopers, tankers, and air crews. It served alongside the M-14 for a while, but as the AR platform was refined and the M-14 was phased out, it became the standard issue weapon.