Next Generation Squad Weapon

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A U.S. Army graphic detailing the competitors for the program as of December 2020. Next Generation Squad Weapon Program.png
A U.S. Army graphic detailing the competitors for the program as of December 2020.

The Next Generation Squad Weapon (NGSW) program is a United States military program created in 2017 by the U.S. Army to replace the 5.56mm M4 carbine, the M249 SAW light machine gun, and the 7.62mm M240 machine gun, with a common system of 6.8mm cartridges and to develop small arms fire-control systems for the new weapons. [1] [2]

Contents

Seven defense manufacturers competed in the program, with five attempting to design and produce the weapons and two attempting to create and supply fire-control optics. [3] The winners were officially announced by the Army in early 2022: SIG Sauer to produce the XM7 rifle and XM250 automatic rifle, Vortex Optics to produce the XM157 fire-control system, [3] and Winchester to produce the custom 6.8mm ammunition cartridges designed by SIG Sauer. [4] [5] [6] The program was expected to cost $10 million in the first year of production, and $150 million the next. [1] [5] [6]

History

The NGSW program began in 2017, after the U.S. Congress issued an order for the U.S. Army to conduct an assessment regarding the need to upgrade existing M4 carbines with SOCOM's SOPMOD free-floating rail. It was concluded that the M4 carbine was still favored by troops and also performed well under stress. Feeding issues and other problems were fixed by using different ammunition types and magazines. Despite this, the M4 had difficulty penetrating the types of bulletproof vests used by Russian and Chinese troops, especially at longer ranges.[ citation needed ] Pressure to develop a new weapon system also arose from military programs created by other countries, such as Russia's Ratnik program.[ citation needed ] The U.S. Army's Soldier Enhancement Program released its findings in December 2017, which recommended proceeding with the Next Generation Squad Weapon Program as a more cost-effective solution compared to only retrofitting M4s with free-float rail systems. [7]

Previous attempts to replace the M4 failed due to lack of funding, poor submissions, or re-evaluation of tactics and requirements. [8] [ unreliable source? ] [9] These included the Objective Individual Combat Weapon program, the Special Purpose Individual Weapon program, and the Advanced Combat Rifle program (not to be confused with the Adaptive Combat Rifle).

Program components

Weapons

The SIG XM7, the winning assault rifle submission for the NGSW program SIG Sauer XM5.png
The SIG XM7, the winning assault rifle submission for the NGSW program
SIG XM250, the winning automatic rifle with inserted ammunition belt XM250 automatic rifle.jpg
SIG XM250, the winning automatic rifle with inserted ammunition belt

In 2017, the U.S. Army issued requirements for prototype Next Generation Squad Weapon submissions. [1] [2] [6] The program's rifle requirement, referred to as NGSW-R, was required to use a 6.8mm round and be able to utilize small arms fire-control systems. The program's support weapon, referred to as NGSW-AR, was required to be no longer than 35 in (890 mm); no heavier than 12 lb (5.4 kg) including attachments; able to suppress targets out to 3,900 ft (1,200 m); able to accurately fire on targets out to 2,000 ft (610 m); able to make use of small arms fire-control systems.

On April 19, 2022, after 27 months of prototyping and evaluation, the Army announced that SIG Sauer was awarded the NGSW program contract, and would produce the replacements for the M4 carbine and M249 SAW for the next 10 years. [10] The new rifle, designated the XM7, is based on the company's SIG MCX Spear rifle, while the new automatic rifle, designated the XM250, is based on the company's SIG MG 6.8mm belt-fed gun. [11]

The company was awarded a small initial production order, worth $10.4 million, for about 25 rifles, 15 automatic rifles, and a “large quantity” of ammunition so the weapons could be tested and the production line fine-tuned. [12]

A U.S. Army press release stated the new weapons would "provide significant capability improvements in accuracy, range and overall lethality. They are lightweight, fire more lethal ammunition, mitigate recoil, provide improved barrel performance, and include integrated muzzle sound and flash reduction." [4]

Selected:

Down-selected but rejected:

Three manufacturers were down-selected for the final phase of testing, including the ultimately selected SIG Sauer; the other two selected were: [13]

Rejected:

Fire-control systems

Vortex Optics XM157 platform agnostic fire-control system Enhanced Night Vision Goggles Technical Demonstration Image 5 of 36 6149249 190411-A-HE309-005.jpg
Vortex Optics XM157 platform agnostic fire-control system

The program also included the development of new fire-control systems for small-arms weapons. Two companies entered the competition: Vortex Optics and L3Harris Technologies, both of whose submissions utilized integrated fire-control systems using laser rangefinders, direct view optics, digital overlays, and ballistic calculation systems, as per NGSW program requirements. [26] In late January 2022, the U.S. Army selected Vortex Optics' offering, designated the XM157 fire-control system. [26] [27]

Ammunition

NGSW weapon proposals used proponent designed cartridges with government-issued 6.8mm general-purpose projectiles. This allowed each proposed weapon and cartridge to be designed together to meet the performance requirements. In January 2022, Winchester was awarded a contract to produce the ammunition. In April 2022, with the selection of the MCX Spear, SIG Sauer's hybrid metal cartridge would become the new cartridge subsequently referred to as 6.8x51mm Common Cartridge by the U.S. Army. [4]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Squad automatic weapon</span> Portable light machine gun

A squad automatic weapon (SAW), also known as a section automatic weapon or light support weapon (LSW), is a man-portable automatic firearm attached to infantry squads or sections as a source of rapid direct firepower. Weapons fulfilling this role can be light machine guns, or modified selective-fire rifles fitted with a heavier barrel, bipod and a belt/drum-fed design.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">M4 carbine</span> American assault rifle

The M4 carbine is a 5.56×45mm NATO assault rifle developed in the United States during the 1980s. It is a shortened version of the M16A2 assault rifle.

Several sister companies that design and manufacture firearms use the brand name SIG Sauer. The original company, Schweizerische Waggonfabrik (SWF), later Schweizerische Industrie-Gesellschaft (SIG), went through several selloffs, leaving the SIG Sauer brand spread over several companies. The original SIG is now known as SIG Combibloc Group and no longer has any firearms business.

The FNSCAR is a family of gas-operated short-stroke gas piston automatic rifles developed by Belgian manufacturer FN Herstal (FN) in 2004. It is constructed with modularity for the United States Special Operations Command (SOCOM) to satisfy the requirements of the SCAR competition. This family of rifles consists of two main types. The SCAR-L, for "light", is chambered in 5.56×45mm NATO and the SCAR-H, for "heavy", is chambered in 7.62×51mm NATO. Both types are available in Close Quarters Combat (CQC), Standard (STD), and Long Barrel (LB) variants.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heckler & Koch HK416</span> German assault rifle

The Heckler & Koch HK416 is an assault rifle chambered for the 5.56×45mm NATO cartridge. It is designed and manufactured by the German company Heckler & Koch.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barrett REC7</span> Semi-automatic rifle, Assault rifle (Full auto/Select fire version)

The Barrett REC7 is an American firearm manufactured as a selective-fire fully-automatic and semi-automatic rifle by Barrett Firearms. It is an M4 carbine utilizing a short-stroke gas piston system. REC7 is available in either 5.56×45mm NATO or 6.8mm Remington SPC. The REC7 is Barrett's second AR-pattern rifle chambered for the 6.8mm Remington SPC cartridge, the first being the Barrett M468 rifle. The 6.8 SPC-chambered M468 rifle employed the same direct gas-impingement system as the M4.

The SG 550 is an assault rifle manufactured by SIG Sauer AG in Switzerland. "SG" is an abbreviation for Sturmgewehr. The rifle is based on the earlier 5.56×45mm NATO SIG SG 540.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LSAT light machine gun</span> American light machine gun

The LSAT light machine gun is a component of the Lightweight Small Arms Technologies (LSAT) program. The purpose of the program was to develop a lighter, yet highly reliable light machine gun (LMG). The program was initiated in 2004, when the Joint Service Small Arms Program (JSSAP) challenged the American defence industry to develop a lighter small arms and also design lighter ammunition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle</span> American assault rifle

The M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle (IAR) is a 5.56mm, select-fire assault rifle, based on the HK416 by Heckler & Koch. It is used by the United States Marine Corps (USMC) and is intended to be issued to all infantry riflemen as well as automatic riflemen. The USMC initially planned to purchase 6,500 M27s to replace a portion of the M249 light machine guns employed by automatic riflemen within Infantry and Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalions. Approximately 8,000–10,000 M249s will remain in service with the Marine Corps to be used at the discretion of company commanders. In December 2017, the Marine Corps announced that it would equip every member of an infantry squad with the M27, supplanting the M4 carbine which would be retained at the platoon leadership positions and above.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">M249 light machine gun</span> Light machine gun

The M249 SAW, formally the Light Machine Gun, 5.56 mm, M249, is the United States Armed Forces adaptation of the Belgian FN Minimi, a light machine gun manufactured by FN Herstal (FN.)

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Polymer-cased ammunition</span>

Polymer-cased ammunition (PCA) is firearm ammunition (cartridge) with casings made from synthetic polymer instead of the typical metallic casing. PCA is considered a new alternative that potentially reduces production cost and weight for long guns and handguns.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SIG MCX</span> 2010s multi-configuration firearm family by SIG

The SIG MCX is a family of firearms designed and manufactured by SIG Sauer, produced in both selective fire and semi-automatic only models, and features a short-stroke gas piston system, which is inherited from the earlier SIG MPX submachine gun. The MCX is available in rifle, carbine, short-barreled rifle, and pistol configurations.

The .277 Fury or 6.8×51mm Common Cartridge, is a centerfire rimless bottlenecked rifle cartridge announced by SIG Sauer in late 2019. Its hybrid three-piece cartridge case has a steel case head and brass body connected by an aluminum locking washer to support the high chamber pressure of 80,000 psi (551.6 MPa).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">XM7 rifle</span> American assault rifle

The XM7, previously known as the XM5, is the U.S. Army variant of the SIG MCX Spear, a 6.8×51mm, gas-operated, magazine-fed assault rifle designed by SIG Sauer for the Next Generation Squad Weapon Program in 2022 to replace the M4 carbine. The XM7 features a free-floating reinforced M-LOK handguard for direct accessory attachment to slotted hole mounting points. The XM7 began to be fielded in March 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">XM250</span> Light machine gun

The XM250 is the U.S. military designation for the SIG LMG 6.8, a 6.8×51mm, gas-operated, belt-fed light machine gun designed by SIG Sauer for the U.S. Army's Next Generation Squad Weapon Program in 2022 to replace the M249 light machine gun. The XM250 light machine gun features a free-floating reinforced M-LOK handguard for direct accessory attachment onto the "negative space" mounting points. The XM250 began to be fielded in March 2024.

The SIG MCX-SPEAR is a multi-caliber rifle developed by the American division of SIG Sauer from the SIG MCX series of carbines. The SIG MCX-SPEAR is primarily chambered in .277 SIG FURY but can be adapted to 7.62×51mm NATO and 6.5mm Creedmoor with a barrel change.

The SIG Sauer MG 338 is a medium machine gun manufactured by the SIG Sauer company.

The Colt Infantry Automatic Rifle 6940, is a Light machine gun designed by Phil Hinckley and manufactured by American firearms manufacturer Colt.

References

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  2. 1 2 "Next Generation Squad Weapons (NGSW)". U.S. Army Acquisition Support Center. Archived from the original on 13 January 2024. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  3. 1 2 Moss, Matthew (7 January 2022). "Vortex Win US Army Next Generation Squad Weapons - Fire Control Contract -". The Firearm Blog. Archived from the original on 3 June 2022.
  4. 1 2 3 "Army awards Next Generation Squad Weapon contract". U.S. Army. 19 April 2022. Archived from the original on 20 April 2022. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
  5. 1 2 Cox, Matthew (20 December 2018). "Army to Seek Prototypes for M4/M249 SAW Replacements in Early 2019". Military.com. Archived from the original on 15 March 2022. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
  6. 1 2 3 Woody, Christopher (12 June 2017). "The Army wants to ditch the M249 SAW and give the infantry more firepower". Business Insider. Archived from the original on 25 May 2022. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
  7. ↑ "S. Rept. 115-262 - The John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act For Fiscal Year 2019". Congress.gov. Library of Congress. 5 June 2018. Archived from the original on 15 September 2019. Retrieved 3 June 2022.
  8. ↑ Winward, Tim (27 May 2000). "Objective Infantry Combat Weapon". Tango Fox. Archived from the original on 7 March 2021. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  9. ↑ Cox, Matthew (October 2017). "Army: Gun Makers Didn't Meet Reliability Standard". Military.com. Archived from the original on 18 June 2013. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  10. ↑ Beinart, Matthew (19 April 2022). "Sig Sauer Wins 10-Year Deal To Deliver Army's Next-Gen Squad Weapons". Defense Daily. Archived from the original on 19 April 2022. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
  11. ↑ Beynon, Steve (19 April 2022). "Army Picks Its Replacement for the M4 and SAW". Military.com. Archived from the original on 20 May 2022. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
  12. ↑ Kenney, Caitlyn M. (20 April 2022). "Soldiers Will Have to Wait Until Next Year for New Rifle, Ammo". Defense One. Archived from the original on 18 May 2022. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
  13. ↑ Cox, Matthew (27 October 2019). "Inside the Army's quest for a revolutionary new bullet". Task & Purpose. Military.com. Archived from the original on 18 November 2023. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
  14. ↑ "General Dynamics / Beretta RM277 GD NGSW-R assault rifle (USA)". Modern Firearms. 1 December 2019. Archived from the original on 30 May 2023. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
  15. ↑ "US Army Grants NGSW Novation from General Dynamics-OTS, Inc to LoneStar Future Weapons". Soldier Systems Daily. 1 September 2021. Archived from the original on 14 December 2021.
  16. ↑ Moss, Matthew (14 April 2021). "NGSW: LoneStar Future Weapons Forms Strategic Alliance with True Velocity in Place of General Dynamics". The Firearm Blog. Archived from the original on 20 May 2022.
  17. ↑ Moss, Matthew (10 November 2021). "True Velocity Acquires LoneStar Future Weapons". The Firearm Blog. Archived from the original on 20 May 2022.
  18. ↑ Moss, Matthew (19 January 2022). "[SHOT 2022] Beretta & True Velocity Confirm Partnership & Announce Civilian RM277". The Firearm Blog. Archived from the original on 1 May 2022.
  19. ↑ Moss, Matthew (18 November 2021). "Is Textron Out of the NGSW Program?". The Firearm Blog. Archived from the original on 17 May 2022.
  20. ↑ "The Desert Tech Next Generation Squad Weapons Prototypes". Soldier Systems Daily. 10 March 2020. Archived from the original on 5 October 2023.
  21. ↑ "FN to produce two prototypes for the Next Generation Squad Automatic Rifle program". all4shooters.com. 1 August 2018. Archived from the original on 16 December 2021.
  22. ↑ "NGSW: Future Infantry Weapons?". Finabel. 14 August 2019. Archived from the original on 16 December 2021.
  23. ↑ "FN Down-Selected to Produce Two Prototype Options for U.S. Army Next Generation Squad Automatic Rifle Program". FN America. 16 July 2018. Archived from the original on 16 December 2021.
  24. ↑ "US Army NGSW Submission 6.8 Sherwood by VK Integrated Systems and Bachstein Consulting". Soldier Systems Daily. 19 June 2019. Archived from the original on 23 April 2021.
  25. ↑ "MARS Inc. and Cobalt Kinetics Submit NEW Carbine, LMG and 6.8mm Cartridge for US Army NGSW Program". The Firearm Blog. 28 August 2019. Archived from the original on 16 December 2020.
  26. 1 2 Keller, Jared (2 February 2021). "This could be the Army's next-generation rifle optic of choice". Task & Purpose. Archived from the original on 5 June 2022. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
  27. ↑ Edwards, Jane (10 January 2022). "Vortex Optics to Produce Next-Gen Fire Controls Under $2.7B Army Follow-On OTA". GovConWire. Archived from the original on 16 February 2022.
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