American troops will be getting some new weaponry heading into 2024, as detailed in the second episode of Weapons and Warfare. After 27 months of testing and evaluations, the M7 rifle and the M250 machine gun from Sig Sauer will be the next generation of rifles for close-contact Army troops. That, combined with the M157 Fire Control from Vortex Optics, will be a significant step up from the frontline operators’ previous guns, the M4 and M249.
The M7, which was known through the testing phase as the XM5 and then the XM7, beat out competition from General Dynamics-OTS and Textron Systems to become the long-awaited replacement for the M4 and its predecessor, the M16.
The M7 is longer, weighs more and carries fewer rounds, but military brass said the change from a 5.56 mm round to the new 6.8 mm cartridge will help improve accuracy, range and stopping power. The new rounds can also reportedly penetrate any type of body armor, giving the military’s frontline combat troops an added advantage.
The M250 machine gun will replace the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW), as well. The M250 is four pounds lighter than its predecessor, is more ergonomic, has an improved gas system and will deliver the same 6.8mm cartridge as the M7.
Both of the new guns will be used with the M157 Fire Control system, adopted by the Army in 2022. This weapon is a high-tech scope and communication system designed to improve the skill level of the operators. It combines the latest technology with actual optics to increase the range of effectiveness by hundreds of meters. Furthermore, if the power in the unit fails, the optics are still usable.
The M157 is built to be lighter and stronger to help the optics system work as reliably as the rifle it sits on. In a fraction of a second, the Fire Control System can sense direction, wind elevation and bullet drop, allowing the operator to put sites on the enemy efficiently. It can also connect with other devices and share images and information from other team members, giving the user a clearer picture of the battlefield.
The Army plans for the 101st Airborne Division to be the first unit equipped with this new weaponry by March 2024.
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