Built by Accuracy International of Portsmouth, England, this line of rifles is among the best sniper rifles in the world today, and has been nicknamed by some as the 'boring' rifle because of its consistent accuracy and zero maintenance. The AW system is an integrated action body and chassis system housed in molded, reinforced nylon stock panels. This rigid system provides a very stiff support for the stainless steel match grade barrel.

The Arctic Warfare was designed for the British military, designated as the L96. It gained its AW designation by special anti-icing features, allowing sniping operations to be carried out under Arctic conditions as low as -40C. The AW range of rifles include Police(AWP), Suppressed(AWS), Suppressed Covert(AWS-C), Folding(AWF) and Super Magnum(AW SM).

The Covert is essentially an AWS with a folding stock. It is supplied in a small suitcase which houses the rifle with the stock folded and the barrel/suppressor combination detached - a package offering the utmost precision for discreet deployment. As with the AWS, the Covert system is designed for use with subsonic ammunition which, depending on the target, yields an effective maximum range of around 300m. To ensure optimum precision, longevity and readiness, the suppressor utilizes a baffle system rather than disposable neoprene wipes. Its noise levels are similar to those that are generated by .22 LR match ammunition. Due to the steep trajactories of subsonic ammunition, some form of accurate ranging is necessary to ensure first-round hits. The new Mk II sight with parallax adjustment helps with this in the absence of a dedicated rangefinder. A fixed power 6x or the 3-12x50 variable are ideal optics for this rifle, as it is intended for the type of close work that often requires optics with a wide field of view and close range focus. The standard scopes normally supplied by Accuracy International are Schmidt & Bender 3-12X variable or the Leupold Mark 4 fixed 10X scope.

The rifle is normally supplied in a polymer suitcase that is lined with closed-cell foam featuring cutouts for the stock/action/optics/bipod combination, the bolt, the suppressor, a magazine and a box of ammunition.