This is why I think the only real environment for the Grendel to gain traction in is amongst the Eastern European Countries that are aware of the Russian threat, while NATO leaves them out to dry. The biggest issue for them is that 5.56, 7.62 NATO, & 7.62x54R are the dominant cartridges in their small arms inventories, with 7.62x39 on its way out in many cases, along with 5.45x39 being displaced by 5.56 NATO. Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary have formed a new military alliance separate from NATO since they see the writing on the wall.
As I kick this dead horse again, the biggest and most important factor that would make the Grendel get noticed is if a modern LMG was chambered in it, and shown to provide the same downrange benefits as 7.62 GMPG's such as the PKM and MAG58, only from a much smaller package. The biggest threat to that will be the success of the cased telescoping ammunition and LMG's, if they prove to be reliable. That will seal the deal as the most important development in small arms technology going into the future, but reliability is a big unknown right now with that concept and prototype program.
The adoption of the Grendel in Eastern Europe would already have a logistics framework in-place for brass and ammo with Lapua and PPU from the North and South, but weapons and magazines would be the main new items to be purchased. Selling points for budget-strapped countries:
* Longer barrel life
* One-caliber small arms system potential
* Longer weapon life with lower chamber pressures
* Inherent accuracy potential
* Existing framework for ammunition components
* Existing framework for barrel blanks in 6.5mm, a popular European bore
* Existing framework for projectiles
As I kick this dead horse again, the biggest and most important factor that would make the Grendel get noticed is if a modern LMG was chambered in it, and shown to provide the same downrange benefits as 7.62 GMPG's such as the PKM and MAG58, only from a much smaller package. The biggest threat to that will be the success of the cased telescoping ammunition and LMG's, if they prove to be reliable. That will seal the deal as the most important development in small arms technology going into the future, but reliability is a big unknown right now with that concept and prototype program.
The adoption of the Grendel in Eastern Europe would already have a logistics framework in-place for brass and ammo with Lapua and PPU from the North and South, but weapons and magazines would be the main new items to be purchased. Selling points for budget-strapped countries:
* Longer barrel life
* One-caliber small arms system potential
* Longer weapon life with lower chamber pressures
* Inherent accuracy potential
* Existing framework for ammunition components
* Existing framework for barrel blanks in 6.5mm, a popular European bore
* Existing framework for projectiles
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