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Squad Weapon A Big Hit

tomahawk6

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SOCOM loves the new 6.8mm squad automatic weapon that is being fielded to Regular Army infantry units.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/army-next-generation-squad-weapon-130736225.html

 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7MV0H8235o

The above video gives a break down of the US Army's NGWS progam to replace the M16, M4 and and M249 SAW family's. This program has huge implications for NATO and canada because it is a 6.5mm round. If this program reaches full production you will likely see a push from the US for NATO to adopt the 6.5mm to standardize everything. Given our proximity to the US and our close relationship, it is entirely possibly we are also looking at our next gen weapons as well.

Textron's bid looks complicated as hell and that 3D model, as a weapons tech gives me a head ache with the firing mechanism which is designed for telescopic ammunition.

General Dynamics's polymer cases I love in weight savings and in theory you could colour code the polymer for quick ammo identification, not 100% sold on bullpup but it does save weight and make the weapons more compact.

Sig Sauer: Reciprocating barrel on the LMG I would love to get me hands on to see how it works to in the video, Sig claims the recoil of this LMG is about as much as a M16, trade off is a lower rate of fire. They are also offering a .338 MMG to replace the M240B. The Steel/brass hybrid ammo I'd like to see the data on, to see how it compares to the other two, particularly in muzzle velocity and stopping power.
 
Per the linked article and caliber. But I agree that the US might press NATO to adapt the 6.8 mm round.

"We are an enthusiastic supporter of the Army's 6.8mm Next Generation Squad Weapons," Col. Joel Babbitt, of Program Executive Officer Special Operations
 
tomahawk6 said:
Per the linked article and caliber. But I agree that the US might press NATO to adapt the 6.8 mm round.

Even if this new 6.8 round is adopted as a NATO standard, that doesn’t mean that every NATO member will switch at once, or even at all. Germany didn’t switch from 7.62 to 5.56 until the late 90’s, and Greece and Turkey are still using 7.62 in their standard issue rifles.
 
Ostrozac said:
Even if this new 6.8 round is adopted as a NATO standard, that doesn’t mean that every NATO member will switch at once, or even at all. Germany didn’t switch from 7.62 to 5.56 until the late 90’s, and Greece and Turkey are still using 7.62 in their standard issue rifles.
Yes but those are also standardized calibers, what if the US goes ahead with the Sig bid and replaces the 240B with a .338 as well?, if the largest army in NATO dropped 5.56mm and 7.62mm there would be implications for the alliance over the following decades.
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GC94SexkBg

new interview with the head of the program for the US army next gen weapons program
 
Ostrozac said:
Even if this new 6.8 round is adopted as a NATO standard, that doesn’t mean that every NATO member will switch at once, or even at all. Germany didn’t switch from 7.62 to 5.56 until the late 90’s, and Greece and Turkey are still using 7.62 in their standard issue rifles.

MilEME09 said:
Yes but those are also standardized calibers, what if the US goes ahead with the Sig bid and replaces the 240B with a .338 as well?, if the largest army in NATO dropped 5.56mm and 7.62mm there would be implications for the alliance over the following decades.

I think that you are both right. Adding the 6.8 in as a NATO standard does not delete either the 5.56 or the 7.62 standards. The "standards" for those rounds will remain so that any of the 5.56 or 7.62 from any one NATO nation will work with another's weapons.

When the US adopts a certain 6.8 for itself (and right now there are some very different 6.8 cartridges in the running), however, it will not automatically create a new 6.8 standard for NATO. Individual nations will have to determine if they wish to adopt and intermediate calibre themselves and, if they do, whether that will be the US 6.8. If enough folks sign on for that then the US cartridge may very well be adopted as a future NATO standard. That's not guaranteed but if the US goes in whole-hog then that will definitely be a significant influencing factor.

I don't doubt that the 5.56 and the 7.62 will be around for a very long time yet if for no other reason there are still (and will be for decades to come) millions and millions of weapons using these calibres throughout the world.

:cheers:
 
MilEME09 said:
Yes but those are also standardized calibers, what if the US goes ahead with the Sig bid and replaces the 240B with a .338 as well?, if the largest army in NATO dropped 5.56mm and 7.62mm there would be implications for the alliance over the following decades.

We already have an amazing array of ball/ grenade type ammo at the section and platoon level compared to 30 years ago.

I don't think one more ammo nature (and mag fed vs. belt fed is a different type of ammo even of it's the same calibre) will make much of a difference to the poor Log people in our supply chain who need to feed our various pedantic, no doubt video game fuelled small arms fantasies.

Now, if we're taking NATO artillery, let's get busy on that 'big ticket item' instead...
 
https://youtu.be/snMAHN_SIWw

For the latest on the NGSW program see the quick video above. Big take aways, 6.8mm was selected to be able to over match near peer adversaries. Project is on schedule and budget to begin delivery to troops in FY22. Winning design will selected spring or summer 21.
 

More information on the Sig NGSW. It looks to me that the Sig entry is the most conventional, with metal cased ammo and no bullpup.
 
I was hesitant about the bullpup, but its by far my favorite. The Sig variant looks pretty bulky, and and a 12" barrel? Not too sure how that would affect performance. The potato suppressor does look funny though.
 
WIth everything going on in Europe, do you all think the NGSW program will get shelved or accelerated?
 
WIth everything going on in Europe, do you all think the NGSW program will get shelved or accelerated?
With any luck it will go away with little fan fare.
Colossally stupid program from the get go.
 
Agreed. 6.8 is not good enough to be worth replacing all the 5.56.
All they did for two candidates is neck down a 7.62 NATO to 6.8 and jack up the chamber pressure.
Right now in the US Army we have a 100m ish capable soldier - and they want to issue a 1,200m capable weapon.

SOCOM already issues 6.5 Creedmore - and the Army is being big and stupid because a bunch of half wit fucks convinced equally dumb folks we needed a "better" round and weapon.
 
All they did for two candidates is neck down a 7.62 NATO to 6.8 and jack up the chamber pressure.
Right now in the US Army we have a 100m ish capable soldier - and they want to issue a 1,200m capable weapon.

SOCOM already issues 6.5 Creedmore - and the Army is being big and stupid because a bunch of half wit fucks convinced equally dumb folks we needed a "better" round and weapon.
On the plus side, with that much chamber pressure, the US doesn’t need to re-stock with tac nukes….just lob a few NGSW in there with some hot loads and KABOOM! 😉
 
For a guy who likes ships because I don't have to carry my own stuff around with me, what does that mean?

Is the 6.8 more pew than a 5.56 and less pew than a 7.62? Does it pew farther? Faster? Can you better pew things at a distance than a pew-ier 7.62, with more pew than a 5.56? Can I continue to find new and stupid ways to work pew into a dumb question?

Most importantly, how much of a badass will I feel like not hitting a barn at 100 yards with that on full auto?

In a serious note, is this going to become a more common NATO standard round? It thought part of the reason for standardized rounds was to help with shared logistics, but maybe that's not a big deal when you are they US Army.
 
For a guy who likes ships because I don't have to carry my own stuff around with me, what does that mean?

Is the 6.8 more pew than a 5.56 and less pew than a 7.62? Does it pew farther? Faster? Can you better pew things at a distance than a pew-ier 7.62, with more pew than a 5.56? Can I continue to find new and stupid ways to work pew into a dumb question?

Most importantly, how much of a badass will I feel like not hitting a barn at 100 yards with that on full auto?

In a serious note, is this going to become a more common NATO standard round? It thought part of the reason for standardized rounds was to help with shared logistics, but maybe that's not a big deal when you are they US Army.

It's totally unnecessary IMHO. 5.56mm is just fine for what the Infantry is required to do, in concert with other support weapons - and arms and services.

Regardless, Uncle Sam is going to Uncle Sam so we just need to get used to it.
 
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