PGSThe other day, the American companies Colt and Northrop Grumman showed a "high-precision grenade launcher system" (PGS) during a shooting demonstration. Previously, he was only caught on camera at gun shows.
The new weapon, designed to replace the existing M203 and M320 grenade launchers of the US Army, is capable, according to the developers, of firing at a distance of 500 to 1000 m. Both ground and air threats can act as a target.
M203 and M320The previously available grenade launchers were supposed to be replaced by the XM-25 system, however, due to malfunctions, problems with weight, size and accuracy, the high cost of ammunition and cost overruns, the program was officially curtailed in 2018.
The PGS is a 25 mm semi-automatic system with advanced optics, such as the Vortex XM157, which allows the use of programmable detonation ammunition, "effectively hitting targets behind shelters and small UAVs." Thus, thanks to the new product, troops have the opportunity to fight drones at the squad level.
PGS and its ammunitionThe weapon weighs about 6.8 kg, has a barrel length of 35-38 cm, and a magazine capacity of 5 grenades. Unlike its outdated 40-mm counterparts, this 25-mm grenade launcher is designed to conduct intense fire along a more gentle trajectory, which increases accuracy and reduces the flight time of ammunition.
As indicated in the Western press, PGS wins in comparison with similar modern grenade launchers. For example, the Chinese QTS-11, based on a submachine gun, has a smaller caliber, and the South African Neopup PAW-20 cannot use ammunition with programmable detonation.
