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Science & Technology
US Army Wants to Make Russian Weapons and Ammo for Its Allies
2019-07-14
[The National Interest] The announcement by Army Contracting Command merely says that the Office of the Project Manager, Maneuver Ammunition System, is conducting a market survey to determine which manufacturers can produce ammunition for a shopping list of Russian weapons. But what a shopping list! The Army seems to want to recreate half the Soviet Cold War arsenal.

Why does the U.S. Army want American companies to make ammunition for Russian-designed weapons?
Foto depicts Albanian SF 12.7x108mm DShK machine gun mounted on a US MRAP in Afghanistan
For the same reason that U.S. Special Operations Command wants U.S. companies to manufacture Russian-designed rifles and machine guns. Many groups that the U.S. supports, such as in the Middle East, have been accustomed to using Soviet and Russian weapons for years. The theory is that rather than force them to switch to Western arms, it’s easier for the U.S. to send them Russian weapons and ammunition made in America.

The announcement by Army Contracting Command merely says that the Office of the Project Manager, Maneuver Ammunition System, is conducting a market survey to determine which manufacturers can produce ammunition for a shopping list of Russian weapons. But what a shopping list! The Army seems to want to recreate half the Soviet Cold War arsenal. The spreadsheet posted by the Army includes up to ten million AK-47 rifle and PKM and DShK machine gun rounds, 250,000 RPG-7 rockets, and bullets for Russian pistols.

Somewhat related: National Interest - The Powerful German G3 Assault Rifle
Posted by:Besoeker

#6  We really need a new political class that has the skill and foresight to turn around our relationship with Russia.

True, they have a $hitty government, but there are so many areas where our interests align that we should be able to find a way to make them into a useful partner, if not an ally.

Russia can help keep China in check. Russia has given us great help against militant Islam. Russia works closely with Israel. If we can peel them off of Iran, Russia can help us in the Middle East and preserve their cooperation in the fight against the Taliban (and maybe the ISI, too).

Nobody talks about the Arctic, but that is another area of enormous mutual opportunity. We can both extract oil and gas and create new shipping lanes that will benefit us and them.

Finally, NATO needs to die. We need to reach an understanding with Russia that allows us both to stop wasting so much time and resource and materiel threatening each other, and turn our hubs and energies outward, at the mutual threats to the South and East.

Posted by: Lex   2019-07-14 12:26  

#5  Well when you shoot people with essentially a .22 hornet in combat you have to be precise.

With the .308, 30-06 or the 7.62 x 39, you can be a lousy shot and still take some one out of the fight
Posted by: Sock Puppet of Doom   2019-07-14 12:23  

#4  But M16 is way more precise, SPOD.
Posted by: g(r)omgoru   2019-07-14 10:53  

#3  I have shot the G3, the FAL, the M1, the M14 and that plastic popgun piece of crap M16.

The G3 and the FAL are extremely good, almost as reliable as a Russian made AK47.
Posted by: Sock Puppet of Doom   2019-07-14 10:49  

#2  Wouldn't it be cheaper to just buy the stuff from the Russians? Economies of scale and all that.

..and the M2 (Ma Deuce) keeps rolling along (circa 1930s)

The shotgun, the B-52, the Ford Pinto. Once you get the design right, there is not much more you can do other than add some pin-striping and chrome tail fins for the marketing boys.
Posted by: SteveS   2019-07-14 10:29  

#1  While G3s that remain in service will eventually be phased out in favor of newer, more ergonomic platforms, advanced features in its design allowed it to significantly outlast its 1950s competition.

..and the M2 (Ma Deuce) keeps rolling along (circa 1930s)
Posted by: Procopius2k   2019-07-14 07:50  

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