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Old 06-15-2019, 04:50 AM
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Arrow The Army Is Dreaming Up the Rifle It Wants for the Next War

The Army Is Dreaming Up the Rifle It Wants for the Next War
By: War Is Boring - National Interest - 6-15-19
RE: https://nationalinterest.org/blog/bu...next-war-62642

Photo link: https://nationalinterest.org/sites/d...?itok=GwoXsveE

What would it look like?

For a 7.62-millimeter rifle to be effective, it must fire not the current M80A1 round, but a tungsten-cored [armor-piercing] round such as the M993 or the upcoming XM1158 ADVAP, which almost certainly also has a tungsten core,” the blog noted.

On May 30, 2017, the U.S. Army officially asked industry for information on a new 7.62-by-51-millimeter rifle. The request signals the Army’s intention to begin moving away from the 5.56-by-45-millimeter M-16 and M-4 that have been the ground-combat branch’s main firearms for generations.

The Army’s RFI comes hot on the heels of the U.S. Marine Corps’ own RFI for a new off-the-shelf infantry rifle.

But the Army’s so-called “Interim Combat Service Rifle” could be a stopgap — a weapon the service buys quickly while it considers longer-term solutions to its firearms needs. In the short term, the ICSR could complement the 7.62-millimeter M-14, itself a stopgap.

The RFI “should not be construed as a request for proposal or as an obligation on the part of the government to acquire any services or hardware,” the Army stated. The service just wants to know what 7.62-millimeter rifle designs are available. The Army hasn’t set aside any funding for buying or testing a new weapon. Yet.

So what is the Army looking for? The RFI requests commercial, readily-available designs with 16- or 20-inch barrels, the ability to fix muzzle devices capable of flash- and sound-suppression, fully-ambidextrous controls, a rail system, optics-mounts and an adjustable buttstock.

The RFI also requests back-up iron sights, an overall weight of less than 12 pounds and a minimum magazine capacity of 20 rounds.

The Army’s fresh interest in a larger-caliber firearm reflects recent combat experience. In Afghanistan, Taliban fighters armed with Russian-made 7.62-by-54-millimeter weapons frequently out-ranged U.S. and NATO troops.

Another problem is modern ceramic body armor, which the current 5.56-millimeter round might struggle to penetrate. But The Firearms Blog speculated that the problem lies with the composition of the current round, not its size.

“For a 7.62-millimeter rifle to be effective, it must fire not the current M80A1 round, but a tungsten-cored [armor-piercing] round such as the M993 or the upcoming XM1158 ADVAP, which almost certainly also has a tungsten core,” the blog noted.

Note: This article originally appeared at War is Boring in 2017.
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O Almighty Lord God, who neither slumberest nor sleepest; Protect and assist, we beseech thee, all those who at home or abroad, by land, by sea, or in the air, are serving this country, that they, being armed with thy defence, may be preserved evermore in all perils; and being filled with wisdom and girded with strength, may do their duty to thy honour and glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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