Testing, testing...

[JASmith]

...In what way(s) does it (the competition) affect choice of caliber, bullet type, muzzle velocity, or any other aspect of the cartridge design?

Stan,

We've talked about this from as many different angles as I can think of.

Look at it this way -- the market sets thresholds. If your product doesn't meet those thresholds, it won't sell -- whether as a military or commercial item.

Others have pointed out that having something that is merely "better than 5.56 and 7.62" won't meet either the posited comparatively easy threshold implied nor the more challenging market realities. LR1955 has pointed out that we need "a 50%" improvement to get attention. We haven't yet identified anything that is even a 5% improvement in trajectory or on-target effects. Numbers are a different story, but that argument strongly favors the 5.56NATO. Hence the designs we've thought about likely won't make the cut.

Find a design combination that meets Gene's 50% plus-up in at least one aspect while maintaining rough parity in other performance factors and numbers, then you have a chance -- unless someone else identifies a 75% plus-up solution.

Combined arms considerations make the issue more complicated, but they need to be included in the discussion both to identify things that would compete and to find opportunities for properly defining the cartridge.

Thus the market affects "choice of caliber, bullet type, muzzle velocity, or any other aspect of the cartridge design" by ruling out certain combinations and favoring others.