Army’s M4, M16 and SAW replacement is on its way
By Todd South
Oct 11, 05:00 AM
WASHINGTON — Replacements for the M4 carbine, the M16 and the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon are on track to be in production in about a year.
The Next Generation Squad Weapon rifle and automatic rifle are expected to be selected by mid-2022, Maj. Gen. Anthony Potts told Army Times before the Association of the U.S. Army’s annual meeting.
The Army is looking for a new machine gun, and the Marines might get a new caliber, too
The study is expected to take until fall 2023 but could result in a whole new weapon, caliber combo.
By Todd South
It took a few years for the Army to decide on a caliber, but they ultimately chose the “intermediate” 6.8mm to replace the existing 5.56mm used in the M4, M16 and M249.
The 6.8mm is similar in size to the classic .270 caliber used in hunting and nearly the same dimensions as a popular intermediate caliber favored by the early 20th century Japanese military.
https://www.armytimes.com/news/2021/10/11/the-armys-m4-m16-and-saw-replacement-is-on-its-way/
