Marine Corps seeks lighter .50-caliber ammo for agility in battle
By Irene Loewenson
Dec 18, 08:02 AM
The Marine Corps is exploring whether it could buy significantly lighter 0.50 caliber ammunition, as part of an ongoing effort to trim the weight Marines carry on their backs.
Marine Corps Systems Command in September asked ammunition vendors for their interest and capabilities to manufacture cartridges 24%–30% lighter than what Marines currently carry, in what’s known as a request for information.
The idea is that lighter ammo would make Marines quicker and more agile, traits “critical to battlefield survivability,” Systems Command spokeswoman Morgan Blackstock told Marine Corps Times.
The request for information, first reported by Military.com, is just market research, and the government isn’t obligated to pay for any information it receives, according to the request. But it indicates the Marine Corps is still working toward its longstanding goal of trimming the weight of ammunition.
https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-marine-corps/2023/12/18/marine-corps-seeks-lighter-50-caliber-ammo-for-agility-in-battle/
