06-15-2021, 06:51 PM
Fess Wrote: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.
That money could have been better spent on better triggers and more marksmanship training if they wanted too improve probability of kill per shot taken.
But agreed 556 isn't capable of stopping power at extended ranges. Well at least without designing a heavier more sleeker bullet that can be used from the 556 cases. But honestly the 556 case is out of room in the ar/m4/m16 action at are about 80 groans.
All this mess about the platform being outdated, is just that hogwash, the platform isn't out dated the ammo and caliber is outdated.
If they really wanted to upgrade, they would speak a bolt made from armet or a bigger bolt/barrel extention and upgrade too a grendel cased caliber and maintain 60k pressure they seem to like.
Do that and they retain their part comparability to most possible with existing weapons and give the war fighter then needed punch at extended ranges.
Now if I could just landed a mil contract to build that cartridge for them, I would have it made lmao.