New Army "Caliber Configuration Study"

[cory]

The original premise of the notional GPC was to replace all 5.56mm and 7.62mm weapons -- including GPMGs/MMGs -- in infantry units, thereby replacing a two-caliber system with a single caliber. That would have made "General Purpose Cartridge" an accurate description.

If 7.62 is replaced by .338 for GPMGs/MMGs, with other weapons using a different caliber, then the infantry would still have a two-caliber system. That makes the "GPC' something less than a GPC.

No No and No. Where did the notion of one rifle round for all of the Infantry come from? This idea falls in the same realm as the 90-100% efficient internal combustion engine. While it'd be an amazing Round/Engine it just isn't possible.

The GPC idea seems to be an LMG that could perform in the same capacity as the current MMG where the dismounted Grunt is concerned,

What we have now is the following system of machine guns.

LMG
MMG
HMG

With the adoption of a GPC we'd see a LMG and MMG system. The new LMG would fall somewhere in between the current LMG and MMG. Exceeding the requirements of the current LMG and not quite being suited for all the requirements of the current MMG. The new MMG would meet all the requirements of the current 50 cal HMG while being able to meet the mission requirements of the current MMG that the new LMG isn't AS suited towards (Vehicle Mount).