OT- Recoiless Rifle

[SGTGunn]

The OICWS was scrapped, as was its immediate replacement the H&K XM8 Rifle. The grenade launcher bit was saved as a seperate weapons, the XM25 and should be field testing soon. It looks like any replacement rifle projects are on hold until the caliber debate (5.56mm vs. 6.8mm vs. 7.62mm) that is going on right now is resolved. The US Special Operations Command has adopted its own new rifle, the FN Mk.16 SCAR-L And Mk.17 SCAR-H in 5.56 x 45mm and 7.62 x 51mm respectivley. There will also be a 7.62 x 39mm variant that takes AK mags. I would not be suprised to see some version of the SCAR become the new US service rifle one the Army finally decideds to get its head out of its fourth point of contact. On an interesting side note, the US Army has announced that it is looking for a replacement of the M9 Berretta 9mm Pistol, and that it must be a .45 ACP! Yay!

[Bishop746]

I looked up that FN SCAR-L weapon online, it reminds me of the FN FNC rifle. FN has an established history of making quality smallarms. I would like to see the US manufacture a licenced version of the FN SCAR here in the states. They've done it before with the 1903 Springfield.

Do you think the M16 and M4 could be phased out for regular infantry and be replaced with the FN SCAR-L?

The 9mm to be replaced by the .45? Hard to believe that a caliber that has proven track record like the .45 could EVER replace the fine NATO approved 9mm BB. Many experts told the military that the 45 did not need to replaced but I think it was more of a political dicision.

[thatguy96]

SCAR-L/H first need to actually make in into wide-spread SOF usage. As of right now, SOCOM has apparently balked on some level, because while they agreed to purchase the system, no one has seen it fielded yet.

Also, the SCAR series is manufactured physically in the United States, at FN's plant in this country (in VA I believe). This is why the US market is now seeing the sale of the PS90 carbine and whatever semi-auto F2000 variant was also presented at last years SHOT Show.

The OICW program has been scrapped, the XM8 has been put in indefinite hold pending a new competition for what is now being termed the "Modular Weapon System," and the XM25 is apparently progressing through its development phase. OCSW is also progressing right along. The Future Combat Pistol trials to replace the M9 might even be underway already, as I have not been paying attention to that closely.

As to the caliber debate, I was unaware that there was one. The 6.8x45mm requirement was dropped from both the SCAR competition and the new MWS competition. Developing 5.56x45mm catridges appears to be more cost effective than switching calibers.