According to Western sources, on April 19, 2022, the US Army announced that the Next Generation Squad Weapon program ("Small arms of the Next Generation squad") It will be implemented using products developed by SIG Sauer. As you know, the project is aimed at replacing part of the M16 rifle family with the so-called NGSW rifle and the M249 light machine gun with the so-called NGSW automatic rifle. At the first stage, it is planned to purchase weapons and ammunition worth $20.4 million for testing. The contract also includes the purchase of accessories, spare parts and support for contractors. It is expected that the delivery will enable other services of the US Department of Defense and potential foreign buyers to purchase weapons of the NGSW series.
The XM5 rifle, based on the SIG Sauer MCX-SPEAR, will replace the M4/M4A1 carbine in Close Combat Forces units, and the XM250 automatic rifle (machine gun) based on the SIG Sauer LMG-6.8 will be a planned replacement for the M249 squad machine gun. The term "melee forces" refers to infantry units, reconnaissance, sapper and medical units stationed directly on the front line. Since the letter "X" in the designation of the weapon is usually discarded after the completion of all tests of the weapon system and its transfer to the troops – the official designation of the weapon, presumably, will be M5 and M250.
XM5 rifle based on SIG Sauer MCX-SPEAR
The SIG Sauer MCX-SPEAR model weighs about 8.3 pounds (3.76 kg) and is a firearm with a gas piston group with a short stroke. It has a mechanism with a double loading lever: the weapon can be fully loaded either in the classic way, like the AR-15 with a cocking lever on the back of the receiver, or with a smaller loading lever that can be folded on the left side of the receiver. Controls are located on both sides of the weapon. The barrel has a length of 13 inches (330 mm). It is possible to use the latest generation of silencers.
The SIG Sauer LMG-6.8 product is also a firearm with a short-stroke gas piston system. The supply of cartridges is carried out using a tape, there is no magazine feed. With a weight of 5440 grams, the weapon is 35% lighter than the comparable MK48 Mod 1. The model has the same recoil reduction system as the MG 338 machine gun. Similarly, the cover of the belt feeder opens not forward, but to the side. As a result, it became possible to use optics with nozzles. The fire selector lever controlled from both sides is fixed in three positions: "safe", "continuous fire" and "single fire". The retractable stock, fixed in five positions, can be folded on the left side of the casing. The standard barrel has a length of 16 inches (406 mm).
XM250 machine gun based on SIG Sauer LMG-6.8
Both samples are firing hybrid ammunition of 6.8 mm x 51 caliber, developed by SIG Sauer. These ammunition have a brass body and a steel base. The 6.8 mm bullet was selected by the US Army. It is claimed that the newly developed bullet of this general-purpose caliber has an effective firing range of at least 600 m, which is twice the same parameter of the M16/M4A1 rifle. It is expected that it will be able to penetrate any ballistic body armor currently used and in the foreseeable future by a likely enemy. It is reported that a few months ago, the corresponding order for the development, planning of production facilities and preparation for (preliminary) serial production of 6.8 mm x 51 caliber ammunition worth $ 20 million was already issued by the US Army to the American ammunition manufacturer Winchester.
Some time ago, a decision was also made on the optical part of the NGSW series product line. Vortex Optics has been awarded a contract for a system known as XM157. The framework agreement with a minimum value of $20 million and a maximum value of $2.7 billion is designed for 10 years. The XM157 optoelectronic complex, which is a combination of an optical system (1-8x30) with a sensor unit, a laser rangefinder and a ballistic calculator, is designed to significantly increase the probability of a hit from the first shot compared to classical optics.
Optical-electronic complex XM157
According to experts, the declared choice of the US Army, which launched the NGSW program about five years ago , shows its commitment to the most traditional approach and, therefore, the least risk. The remaining competitors of Lone Star Future Weapons, Beretta and True Velocity offered two models of weapons using the bullpup scheme and cartridges with a polymer sleeve. Earlier, the Textron team also dropped out of the competition (along with Heckler & Koch and Olin Winchester) with telescopic ammunition.
The next stages of the program will be further technical and operational tests of weapons and ammunition. The focus should be on the extent to which they provide advantages in terms of range, effectiveness and handling. The US Special Operations Forces Command (USSOCOM) and the US Marine Corps also continue to monitor the project.
Eventually, the US Army plans to purchase 107 thousand M5 rifles and 13 thousand M250 machine guns from SIG Sauer. Together with the required initial volume of 6.8 mm ammunition, the cost of producing weapons is estimated at $4.7 billion. The first unit should be equipped with NGSW weapons by September 2023.
At the same time, the army does not plan to reduce the production of 5.56 mm and 7.62 mm ammunition, said Brigadier General William M. BORUFF, executive director of the joint weapons and Ammunition program. According to him, at first SIG Sauer will be the supplier of a new type of ammunition for NGSW. At the same time, the U.S. Army will build a new workshop at the Lake City ammunition factory in Independence, Missouri. It is expected that this facility will open around 2026, after which the army will begin to play a leading role in the production of 6.8 mm cartridges, and SIG Sauer will become a backup source.
According to the materials of the resource soldat-und-technik.de
