Agree that weapons are more evolved (you left out the rate ruducer used in the AKM and recent AK- series weapons) but completely against firing while standing. If you’ve ever been in the presence of literally thousands of rounds fired in the space of seconds, standing - or just being above cover - is death.
Anybody who has survived combat knows that getting down is vital and if you’re in range of artillery, mortars, or rockets, digging down below ground level is also vital.
Why would anyone emphasize firing while standing? All that does is make you a lot more likely to have your name engraved on a wall somewhere.
We won’t be fighting non-aiming primitives forever..
Speaking only for myself, I can only say that while keeping under the line of fire is always a good policy, the ability to fire the M60 with reasonable accuracy while maneuvering (without pausing) helped to keep the bad guys' heads down while repositioning.
As far as learning to fire the M60 while standing/crouching went, those were more an exercise in balance and confidence in a non-combat environment rather than an actual tactic. Since the belt-fed wep is THE target that the baddies aim for, standing still is suicide.
I didn’t forget the rate reducer because the Russians also played with a rate *increaser* in the AN-94 variant, with the ‘stupid fast two round burst then normal autofire rate’ system - so they’ve gone to both ends of the spectrum.
I think that governments/militaries using standing automatic fire as a test is less of a replication of a commonly used combat mode and more of a lowest common denominator test. It’s the most difficult stance in which to control an automatic weapon, so if the weapon can be controlled while standing, kneeling or prone unsupported fire will be easier. They do have a point there.
On the other hand, from what I’ve read and from what I’ve heard from others, it seems like open field combat may be less of a thing in the future than in the past. It seems like urban warfare, house to house will be more likely, given the increase in number and capability of overhead sensor systems. Even against skilled professionals, standing, crouching or kneeling autofire is something that needs to be employed. Prone is not that useful in such situations, I am told.