New Cartridge Developments and Implications for Dismounted Infantry Soldiers

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They don't just field the stuff overnight. LSAT is in the field proofing in combat test unit stages, to include testing up at Greeley, Alaska. They've already done at least one test platoon iteration up there for the extreme cold weather trials, and have done a 2-year operational test and evaluation program with a group of Infantrymen at Fort Benning.

This thing introduces changes so significant, that it forced them to re-look at MTO&E. All the soldiers that have used it favor it over the SAW, from the unsolicited reports I've been seeing. The SAW's days are numbered I think, which would be a heaven-send for any dismounted combat arms unit. The LMG itself weighs only 9.4lbs, and the ammo is 40% lighter.

They've been using both SS109/M855 and M855A1 projectiles in the Cased Telescoping cartridges. In 2012, it had already reached Technology Readiness Level 7, with 8 prototypes functioning superbly in field tests at Benning to the tune of 25,000 rounds.

The guys who have experience on the SAW who have been testing LSAT have fallen in love with it, and don't ever want to lug the SAW around again, or deal with its constant malfunctions.

Only one quibble-- The 40% weight reduction (IIRC) was for caseless, and that isn't reliable yet (?). The cased telescoped was 12% lighter.