06-12-2021, 03:51 AM
The money has not been completely wasted. Projects like this one can push the state of the art foreword. Part of the project, for example is advanced fire-control systems that would permit more precise shooting. The intention was to permit the average soldier to hit long-range targets as well a a designated marksman. The most basic are the "disturbed reticle" scopes that find the range and provide the corresponding aiming point. More advanced ones help recognize targets and only fire when a hit is assured. Some would track the bullet and correct the aiming point based on that. Some of the systems are even more "Buck Rogers" and share information that can be plotted on maps.
To give an idea of what is already out there, the French FELIN system has some of the data sharing functions, image intensifiers, and, if I understand correctly the ability for some rifles to mount cameras and share the images to others in the squad (comes in handy to locate the source of gunfire when the squad is pinned down behind a barrier). That system is crude compared to what the US is looking at, but it is in the field and being tested.
One of the reasons that the new cartridge was high-velocity and low-drag was to increase the effective range against targets. 5.56x45 just does not have a lot of energy left at 600+ yards. The 5.56x45 and 7.62x51 (and 338 Lapua, for that matter) have limited range because they were designed with OAL's for relatively stubby bullets. They can't use long, sleek high-bc bullets that would make optimum use of these new fire control systems.
To give an idea of what is already out there, the French FELIN system has some of the data sharing functions, image intensifiers, and, if I understand correctly the ability for some rifles to mount cameras and share the images to others in the squad (comes in handy to locate the source of gunfire when the squad is pinned down behind a barrier). That system is crude compared to what the US is looking at, but it is in the field and being tested.
One of the reasons that the new cartridge was high-velocity and low-drag was to increase the effective range against targets. 5.56x45 just does not have a lot of energy left at 600+ yards. The 5.56x45 and 7.62x51 (and 338 Lapua, for that matter) have limited range because they were designed with OAL's for relatively stubby bullets. They can't use long, sleek high-bc bullets that would make optimum use of these new fire control systems.