New rifle, light machine gun headed to close combat troops

[Talyn]

The Army plans to field in 2023 a rifle and light machine combination that will replace the standard issue M4 carbine and the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon for its close combat force.

That close combat force includes infantry, scouts and combat engineers who support or deploy alongside infantry and scouts.

They’re not alone, both the Marine Corps and Special Operations Command have been included in the years-long testing and experimentation phase and will have the option to adopt the new-caliber weapons.

The rest of the force will continue to carry the M4 and M249 for the coming decade or longer.

New rifle, light machine gun headed to close combat troops

 

[Bassbob]

Ooh, computer dependent rifles. Seems like a good idea.

 

[Talyn]

Ooh, computer dependent rifles. Seems like a good idea.

Just the BUIS's will still be there. The fancy stuff is a further evolution of our tax-dollars.

 

[RickAnderson]

Is this the gun the Army looked into Polymer cased Ammunition? Or am I confusing it with another?

I think the Army is interested in reducing the weight so the average soldier can carry more.

It is proving to have a several real advantages over brass case, but cost is not one of them yet. Hopefully that will come down in the future.

 

[Talyn]

Is this the gun the Army looked into Polymer cased Ammunition? Or am I confusing it with another?

I think the Army is interested in reducing the weight so the average soldier can carry more.

It is proving to have a several real advantages over brass case, but cost is not one of them yet. Hopefully that will come down in the future.

The last & losing competitor in the competition had developed the polymer-cased ammo (common 6.8 bullet in all) along with their LMG and rifle submissions.

That competitor had changed ownership several times during the last two years so their submissions were likely immature. An changing Lake City over to making the new ammo type would have likely been very expensive vs. the existing production facilities.

The last pending announcement is for a new GPMG which Sig has an excellent design.