fuckfrance.com - America's Next Generation Military Rifle: Objective Individual Combat Weapon (OICW) (1741368)

Page: ( 1 )2 3 4 5 6

USA

America's Next Generation Military Rifle: Objective Individual Combat Weapon (OICW) (karma: 10) en>fr fr>en
By VoxAmericaVoxDei

Comments: 14254, member since Thu Jun 16, 2005

On Fri Jan 06, 2006 01:04 AM

I've seen several posts recently on the impressive new major weapon systems now available to US forces. While our new carriers, fighters, missles, bombers and other "big ticket items" tend to catch the spotlight, our upcoming improvements & additions to small arms, ground vehicles, and logistics are equally impressive, perhaps more so in their smaller field of influence. Here's a superb example: the new military rifle in development that will soon be introduced to the force. Interestingly enough, it looks quite like the weapon featured in the movie, "Judge Dred" and has some similar capabilities to that fictional weapon. You can review the link for a detailed description of the weapon, of which I've posted here a small extract. Some of the most impressive features include the ability to set the 20mm round to airburst, allowing a soldier to kill an enemy behind obstacles, in foxholes, or entrenchments. The sight is a TV-like display that permits magnification of the target x3, and combined with the advanced laser sights, enormously increases accuracy. This is only one of many weapon systems, large and small, being developed by the Department of Defense, that will further enhance our already incredible lead over other nation's military capabilities. Combining the rate of development of increasingly futuristic systems by the USA and the decrease in developments in other nations, even the most advanced militaries other than the USA, including those of Europe, will, in a few decades, seem little more than primitive, club-wielding savages by comparsion to ours.

OICW gives the infantry soldier a capability to acquire targets and precisely detonate an air bursting 20mm projectile approximately 1 meter over the threat. It can also detonate on impact. These capabilities are required out to ranges 2–3 times the existing M16/M4/M203 system, or up to 10 football fields. The system provides both an integrated day and night battlefield sight capability allowing effective weapon usage 24 hours a day.

The OICW fires the same round as an M16A2 with the lower barrel, 5.56 mm, and can fire in either a single shot or two-round burst. The upper barrel fires a 20 mm high-explosive air-bursting fragmentation round at a distance of more than half a mile away. A six-round magazine in the butt of the rifle holds the HE rounds. The 20 mm round has a dual warhead which makes it lethal on both sides and gives complete coverage when it explodes. The round is air-bursting, and explodes at 1.5 meters above the target. This works especially well if the enemy is hiding behind an object or is lying prone on the ground.

The OICW has a window mode that can be used to reach the enemy inside a building. A normal round will explode upon impact of a window, limiting its destructive power. In the window mode, once the round strikes the window it delays exploding by a few milliseconds so the lethal area is increased inside a room. The round can also go through thin metal with the same effect. A safety mode does exist, in that the rounds have an 8-second self-destruct mode. After being fired, the round will explode in 8 seconds regardless of impact. This insures that no unexploded rounds are left on the battle field.

The sight of the OICW uses Direct View Optics with Video Enhancements. The Direct View Optics will be similar to looking at a television screen. The image can be magnified three times and will include an electronic compass on the screen.

The system should be rugged enough to withstand military use, including airborne and shipboard operations without degradation of the OICW s performance. The OICW will be effective from the standing, crouching, kneeling, sitting, prone, and foxhole positions.

The OICW weapon will consist of two separable subsystems, an HE module, and a KE module, with a single trigger and selector switch that operate both subsystems and interacts with the TA/FCS automatic fuze programming. The KE module will utilize standard 5.56mm ammunition and have semi-automatic and burst modes equivalent to the M4 carbine. The HE subsystem will fire the HEAB ammunition in all four fuzing modes. The weapon will be as reliable as the M16 rifle/M4.

The full-solution fire control begins with the soldier lasing to the target for a range reading. The range is fed into the ballistic computer, and the data is transmitted to the HEAB round inductively. The fire control system provides the appropriate adjusted aim point for the target to the chambered round. The round is fired and explodes at the precise range over the target with devastating effect. The system provides greater than five times the lethality at twice the range of today's conventional systems and, at the same time, reduces soldier combat exposure time, enhancing survivability.

The ruggedized, compact, single, integrated full solution day/night target acquisition/fire control system (TA/FCS) capable of operations without environmentally caused degradation of performance. The TA/FCS will have a direct view powered optic mode, thermal sighting mode, and a television/camera mode all with automatic, ballistically adjusted reticles. It will include a laser range finder; a compass, cant and inclinometer; an environmental sensor suite; a combat identification module and an infrared aiming light; laser illuminator pointer; and embedded training. It will include automatic fuze programming to arm the HEAB in any of the following modes: burst, point detonating, point detonating delay and window (detonating delay after passing through a window). It will contain a full ballistic algorithm to facilitate accurate placement of the airburst munition on target incorporating data from environmental and attitude sensors.

OICWs weight fielding goal of 14 pounds is 10 to 30% less weight than the current M16/M4/M203 systems. When comparable features such as Thermal Weapon Sight, Optic Sight, Rails, Aiming Light, Leaf Sight and Laser are added, the standard infantry soldier carries 15 to 19 pounds. This weight includes only 1 (30 round) magazine of the 5.56mm and 1 round of 40mm HE ammo. The OICW’s 20mm HE round weighs only 1/4 pound compared to the M203’s 40mm round weight of 1/2 pound – a 50% comparison weight savings with substantially more effectiveness. The 18 rounds of 40mm ammunition in a soldier’s vest weigh 9 pounds. If a soldier was carrying 18 rounds of 20mm the weight is 4 1/2 pounds.

The M203 40mm combat round costs approximately $20. OICW’s 20mm round was projected in FY99 to be $20-$30 each. Cost effectiveness is a critical measurement to consider. Given OICW’s significant edge in effectiveness (5 times more at 300 meters) an engagement cost for the existing M203 would be $80-100 to achieve what a single $30 OICW round can do.

OICW Increment 1 / 2 / 3

An early 2003 strategy change at the Program Executive Office, Soldier sped up the development of a potential replacement of the Army's assault weapons. They moved from an "evolutionary approach" to "spiral development." Under the evolution strategy, developers planned to build a complete system, then improve on it. The first built would be about an 80 percent solution. The second about 90 percent and the third would be 100 percent. That approach would take too long to get new technology in the soldiers' hands. Under the spiral approach, the team broke the system into subsystems. This allows the parts to mature individually before being integrated into a single system. Increment 1 consists of the competition with the XM8 and other weapon systems to replace the M16 rifle, M4 carbine, and M249. Current shotguns will be replaced by a modular shotgun system mounted on the OICW Increment 1 winner (XM26 LSS). OICW increment 2 is the airburst weapon (the XM25). The M204 will be replaced by a combination of the OICW Increment 2 and OICW increment 3. The M249 will also partially be replaced by a Light Machine Gun (JSSAP/PMSW), which is the successor to the M60 and M240.

Following the increase of the caliber of OICW grenade launcher component from 20mm to 25mm [the same as used in the OCSW], in July 2004 it was decided to split the OICW system into two separate weapons, the 5.56mm XM8 modular assault rifle (OICW Increment 1), and the 25mm XM25 airburst assault weapon / grenade launcher (OICW Increment 2). Development of the complete XM29 (OICW Increment 3) system was shelved, and will be resumed once the OICW Increment 1 and 2 components are developed, and weight constraints of entire system are met.

The OICW Increment 1 builds on the flexibility of the existing Modular Weapon System (MWS). It sets the stage for future scalable, modular effects that allow the tactical commander to tailor the capability and weight to meet the needs of any operation. It will be the foundation for a family of small arms that features commonality of parts, interface, and updated training that more closely matches tactical reality.

Variants of the OICW (carbine, special compact (SC), designated marksman (DM) and light machine gun (LMG)) will ?ll a variety of roles throughout the Current and Future Forces and the US military at large. The OICW Increment I will replace the M16/ M4 family of small arms and other weapon requirements (M203 grenade launcher, M249 squad automatic weapon (SAW) and selected M9 pistols) throughout the U.S. Army. Other US Armed Services or government agencies may adopt it to suit their needs.

Subsequent increments (Increments II and III) will include new and advanced technologies that will enable the development and fielding of lighter weight and improved ammunitions, nonlethal munitions, precision high-explosive airburst (HEAB) munitions systems, embedded training and simulators, lighter-weight direct-view sights, improved multifunctional lasers, micro electro-mechanical systems, nano-explosives, maneuverable projectiles, advanced shaped-charge designs, electronic fusing and improved materials that will increase operational readiness and effectiveness as well as reduce total life-cycle costs.

The OICW Increment 1 will be compatible with the digital battle?eld and will provide the lethality upgrade for the Land Warrior program. The Army is still completing capabilities documentation for this system.

www.globalsecurity.org . . .

129 Replies to America's Next Generation Military Rifle: Objective Individual Combat Weapon (OICW)