Politics U.S. Army Selects SIG SAUER Next Generation Squad Weapons System, a seismic shift.

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NEWINGTON, N.H., (April 20, 2022) – SIG SAUER is honored to be awarded the Next Generation Squad Weapons System (NGSW) Contract by the U.S. Army after a rigorous 27-month testing and evaluation process. “The U.S. Army is taking a bold step toward command of the 21st century battlefield and SIG SAUER is immensely proud to be the selected provider for this historic revolution in infantry weapons. The fielding of the SIG SAUER Next Generation Squad Weapons System will forever change the dynamic of military engagement for America’s warfighters with American innovation and manufacturing,” began Ron Cohen, President and CEO SIG SAUER, Inc.

The SIG FURY Hybrid Ammunition (6.8 Common Cartridge), SIG-LMG (XM250), SIG MCX-SPEAR Rifle (XM5) and SIG SLX Suppressors meaningfully advance soldier weapons technology to meet the emerging requirements of the U.S. Army.


The SIG 6.8x51 FURY Hybrid Ammunition uses a patented lightweight metallic case designed to handle pressures higher than conventional ammunition, resulting in dramatically increased velocity and on-target energy in lighter weapons.


The SIG-LMG lightweight belt-fed machine gun and SIG MCX-SPEAR Rifle are purpose-built to harness the energy of the SIG FURY 6.8 Common Cartridge Ammunition enabling greater range and increased lethality while reducing the soldier’s load on the battlefield. Both the SIG-LMG and MCX-SPEAR deliver significant weapon and technology advancements to the soldier and provide a solution for battlefield overmatch in comparison to the current M249 and M4/M4A1.


The U.S. Army’s procurement of the NGSW System marks the beginning of an era where combat weapons are coupled with a suppressor as standard issue equipment. The SIG SLX Suppressors are designed to reduce harmful gas backflow, sound signature and flash. SIG SLX Suppressors feature a patented quick-detach design for easy install and removal.


“We commend U.S. Army leadership for having the vision to undertake this historic procurement process to deliver a transformational weapon system to our warfighters. This award is the culmination of a successful collaboration between SIG SAUER and the U.S. Army, and we look forward to the continuing partnership,” concluded Cohen.

..end quote.

Both the 6.8 SPC and the 6.5 Grendal were considered with the already AR platform. Along with "caseless" ammuniton.

Winner a necked down 7.62x51 to .277 (6.8mm) or commonly rounded off and known at the 270 calibre. Not prone to cook off and environment challenges as the caseless was and capable of an astounding...

The 6.8x51mm cartridge will be offered by SIG Sauer in a civilian version called the 277 SIG FURY. This boasts a SAAMI maximum average pressure of 80,000 psi, driving a 135-grain bullet to 3,000+ fps. That 80K PSI pressure is WAY higher than almost all other cartridge types.

This novel cartridge consists of a stainless steel base mysteriously connected to brass.
In videos on youtube its looks surprisingly controllable.

HKUdIeA.jpg
 
Won't this become a medium-sized logistical nightmare? Introducing a fourth type of calibre along 5.56 mm, 7.62 mm and .50" strikes me as something that will require more than just ordering the rounds and rifles and distributing them to the troops.
 
Is it possible to re-barrel MG to it? If so that would have been a good reason to keep the 7.62x51 cartridge size and some of the manufacturing architecture.
 
My understanding is that there is a conversion kit for the M240/MAG available - although I doubt that they'd bother.
 
My understanding is that there is a conversion kit for the M240/MAG available - although I doubt that they'd bother.
That thing is way too heavy by modern standards, even though it is probably the most reliable. The entire idea of the XM250 is to provide a lighter weapon with similar or superior capability as the M249 and M240 (yes I know there isn't any mention of this in publications, but I expect the M240 to go as well later on with all squad & platoon weapons going to 6.8x51, including DMRs).

The new cartridge is higher velocity than 7,62 giving it similar range but flatter trajectory and (this is my assumption) negligible deterioration in stopping power at the maximum effective range.

It is a snappy round, there's a YT video by Task & Purpose where you can see him struggle with the recoil of the full power cartridge, he's former infantry so the run-of-the-mil future user. It should be noted though that he was never trained for it, so his body is conditioned to react like he is shooting 5.56. You really need to lean into heavy calibers like 7,62 or it'll knock you around. I imagine new recruits won't suffer from that problem as much.

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I do wonder about tactical problems. Less ammo and higher recoil means a lower volume of fire, and quantity is a quality all of it's own when you're trying to achieve fire superiority. Great if you can hit someone at longer ranges, penetrate body armor and/or put them down with a single round, but that's under ideal conditions.
 
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5.56 will be phased out as this replaces it.
That would make waaaaay too much sense, which is why that isn't the plan. The rifle will only be issued to the infantry, cav scouts, close combat engineers, medics, and forward observers. Currently the plan is that everyone else will continue to use the 5.56 rifles.
 
That would make waaaaay too much sense, which is why that isn't the plan. The rifle will only be issued to the infantry, cav scouts, close combat engineers, medics, and forward observers. Currently the plan is that everyone else will continue to use the 5.56 rifles.
What else are they supposed to do with the weapons, spares and ammo still in stock? (presumably in relatively huge quantities) Donate even more to the Taliban? ?

People with a near zero change of ever being deployed abroad don't need a brand new rifle the capabilities of which they'll never need. Give the old stuff to the Air Force, Navy and Army Reserve.
 
There is supposed to be 170,000 of the new rifles ordered. That is a lot more than the list above even if not enough to cover everyone.
 
Sig Sauer's a new company. A conglomerate of Swiss Arms and Sauer and Sohn.
Vortex the supplier of the optic also new. Ahem also makes scopes in China and we all know how that ends up.
Few months time Chinese show pics that look the same.

It'll be put together by Americans.

“The NGSW-FC system is a ruggedized fire control that increases accuracy and lethality for the Close Combat Force. It integrates a number of advanced technologies, including a variable magnification optic, backup etched reticle, laser rangefinder, ballistic calculator, atmospheric sensor suite, compass, Intra-Soldier Wireless, visible and infrared aiming lasers, and a digital display overlay,” according to a release from the Army’s Cross Functional Team-Soldier Lethality.
 
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There is nothing new about Vortex, they have been around for decades.
 
Well compare to Zeiss, Leupold, USO, Schmidt Bender, Kahles they are the youngest by century or decades.
Trijicon would be the next by 9 years. Founded some ten years earlier.
Both Vortex and Sig Sauer came from relatively nowhere.
Votex high end Razor range is only recent.
I had the last of Swiss Arms rifle before they stopped. So that's about 20 years ago. An outstanding feature was Ifalon? coating.
The Sauer and Sohn. Although made arms for Wehrmacht had not really been active since until they go to the US market and things started moving. With AR platforms for public market. Similar with Haenel rifles who created a fairly useful delayed blowback semi auto rifle for hunters. So good that H&K replaced their with it. But ugly it never took off.
A Sauer I had had very ordinary blueing, would wake up to a red rifle and a fore stock assembly that if you over screwed its retaining screw it could warp the wood fore-arm. Alloy receiver didn't like NZ rocks. Not really great idea for screwing optic mounts to.
Companies still ironing out problems with public firearm sales out of no where beat the top echelon.
 
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Was surprised to see such a heavy round. Relatively speaking fire superiority needs to be achieved with less fire. Fire discipline will probably be the new catch word(s). Otoh this change follows the lead of the limited issue SCAR 7.62.
 
Vortex is pretty good. They have several different product levels and have plants in China, Japan, and the US.
 
Their warranty is good. Germans have gone from Life to 30 to 10 years lately. Depends on what model. And if they run out of parts that's the end of it. Limited to owner and has to be registered like Minox within a few days of purchase and good luck with their online register sytem.
Sig Sauers same as US side of the pond Leupold and Vortex unlimited vs Bushenell/Weaver limited to owner.

Every man and his dog is making or rebranding scopes now. Go to China and stick a label on it. Schott Japanese or Chinese glass.

I bought a Sig Sauer Filipino last week. It tracked better than my Leupold Freedom and had better clicks. Shot a half inch group with my best load. A non target Partition.. Off a pack / hunting rest..me supporting the butt of the cheapest Mauser that they still make in Germany. And I could see each hole at 100m just like my 3 old Kahles that I sold for more than I paid for .

This new cartridge with its bi-metal body is the reverse of the objective if they were testing simple "caseless" cartridge to begin with.
Guess the caseless rifle offerings also couldn't produce the same pressure safety as the stainless steel base.
They say or some said its re-loadable. It would be wanted to do that for the price. Collecting range fired stuff. Use a shell catcher.
 
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SIG is basically an American company these days. German stuff is irrelevant to it.

Caseless technology adds a massive level of completely to the relatively simple operation that a normal firearm has. You need only look at the cuckoo clock setup the G11 had - it was an armourers nightmare. Brass also has the advantage of taking a lot of heat out of the rifle when it ejects - something very important with a fire support weapon.
 
the G11 was "amazing". according to the gun jesus it almost went into production... seems like that would have been a mess.
the ngsw is heavier, the ammmo is heavier, and the Marines are still using 5.56 for the foreseeable future. it seems like a complicated answer.
maybe we should have just dusted off all those old G3 battle rifles, saved some money....
would like to find a comparison of the ballistics between the 7.62 NATO and the 6.8xwhatever, that the ngsw is chambered for, but have not been able to find anything.
 
I don't think the "uber special ultra" ammo is available for the public to test. For that matter I seem to remember that it would only be issued in the field during live operations. Seems a bit weird to me to not get your troops used to the behaviour of the combat ammo, but I guess that scope has a flick lever that copes with the change in zero.
 
Perhaps create a special re-loaders badge depicting a 1776 revolutionary in the process of ram-roding his special Pennsylvanian flintlock.
German/USA engineered.
 

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