When you consider the other available weaponry, and the strength of the enemies you'll fight, it's not at all a good weapon to use in battle, but it's still important in battle, it's needed to cut yourself out of nets from the Predator's Netgun.

A rather aged weapon used often and carried by all Marines, the M4A3 is mainly used against human targets or aliens without a hard exoskeletal armor. The range is approximately 1500 meters, but its maximum effective range is 50 meters. It is rarely used against a xenomorph threat.

This Shotgun is a good "Close Encounters" weapon but not effective at all in long range battles.

The Pattern Ballistic Armour includes a defensive blast helmet and armoured vest. The armor consists of an outer layer of ultra-light titanium aluminide alloy, a middle layer of boron carbide resin and an inner layer of woven kevlar fibre. It's effective against low calibre and non-armour piercing rounds but is vulnerable to high calibre and armour piercing ammunition.