[MIL TIMES] For decades, small arms advocates have pushed for a replacement for the M16/M4 weapons carried by most soldiers, Marines and special operators.And despite long-running programs that have come on the scene and later floundered before being canceled, the much revised 5.56mm weapon and its similarly chambered light machine gun counterpart have continued to be the mainstay of squad-level firepower.
But news over the past year, from the secretary of defense to service chiefs and heads of small arms programs across the force, has revealed the potential for an actual replacement of the weapon first delivered to troops more than half a century ago.
And that weapon is expected to do far more than simply shoot a bigger bullet and weigh less.
Instead, it is designed to be the centerpiece of a more lethal fighting force as ground combat troops see evolutions in their training and equipping take place more rapidly than they’ve seen in decades.
Next summer, prototypes of the new weapon are expected to be ready for test fires. By the end of next year, an advanced night vision and sophisticated targeting system will be reaching troops. All with the goal of getting more rounds downrange, on target and exceeding anything adversaries have in their inventory or will have for years to come.
Though it is an Army program, Marines and special operations forces have been involved in providing feedback on weapons development and will receive the new weapon when fielded. Marines are already scheduled to get thousands of the new night vision devices the Army plans to start fielding late next year.