Weapons: New, Improved Computerized Rifle
September 18, 2021: The U.S. Army recently received 115 production prototypes of computerized rifle scopes for their novel NGSW (Next Generation Squad Weapon). This is a 6.8mm infantry assault rifle/squad machine-gun. Currently these are two different weapons; the M4/16 assault rifle and the M249 light (squad) machine-gun. Both use the same 5.56mm ammo but the M249 is a different, heavier design introduced in 1984, two decades after the M16.
Advances in rifle and ammunition design since the 1980s led the army to design the NGSW, which not only combines the capabilities of the M4 and M249 but also takes advantage of three other new technologies; computerized rifle scopes, a more effective 6.8mm rifle round and lightweight ammunition. The 6.8mm round addresses troop complaints about the 5,56 round long-range accuracy and low penetrating power compared to the older 7.62mm round still used by snipers and in medium machine-guns. Penetrating power was mostly about urban combat where troops often had to fire at enemy troops in the next room. The 7.62mm could accurately shoot though most walls while the 5.56mm rounds was not as reliable at that. Troops did not want to go back to the heavier 7.62mm round for assault rifles and the 6.8mm round was developed because it provided better penetration as well as less recoil than the 5.56mm round.
https://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htweap/articles/20210918.aspx
