Improved Infantry Squad Capabilities Article

[BluntForceTrauma]

And I should note that when the guy says, "Lethality is a concern," I take that to mean, "Marksmanship is a concern." He thinks he means a technological solution, but that ain't necessarily so.

This is because lethality or incapacitation is primarily a matter of marksmanship, whatever the cartridge. I don't make much differentiation between a 5.56 NATO or 6.5 Grendel headshot, for example.

But one school of thought takes it to mean, "Rapidly upsetting and fragmenting bullets are a concern." While it's true that is a part of the equation, a technological solution, it's a small part. Mostly because you give up penetration of combat barriers when you construct bullets that easily fragment.

But, I digress. . . .

Lethality is Marksmanship. Marksmanship is Lethality. Yes, it's ultimately a training issue. But where the 6.5 Grendel "edge" comes in is that, ideally, one wants a laser beam. A projectile that hits where one points no matter the distance.

In the man-portable, shoulder-fired weapon we call the assault rifle, a compact cartridge that yet minimizes bullet drop and wind drift (the closer to the "laser" ideal, the better) is a cartridge that maximizes marksmanship for the masses and thus maximizes lethality.

John