I agree. With the tooling, supply channels, NATO compatibility, etc... we’re not moving away from the 5.56 anytime soon.
This all could have been prevented.... but decisions in the past led us here.
For example: The Garand was about to go into big-time production. A decision had to be made - whether we’d stick with the .30-06 (of which we had quite a bit laying about), or go with the outcome/findings of the Goat & Pig Boards and he desire of Garand himself, the .276 Pedersen. MacArthur went with the .30-06, based pretty much on only the ammo we had on hand.
If we’d been using an intermediate-power 6.5 to 7mm bullet of 150gr or less (like the .276), we probably would not have had the 5.56, nor the 7.62x51, which was a compromise to keep a .30 cal bullet in an slightly less powerful form for the full-auto M14. If we’d changed away from the .30-06 when we went semi-auto, we’d probably still be using something like the .276 today in full-auto weapons.
Been hunting with the 6.5 X 55 since I was a Boy Scout and bought a Swede Mauser for $39.95 mail order!* Still can hit the pie plate at 200.
* of course I have a fancy one now. Sweet shooter.
I wish the powers to be would have adopted the 6mm SAW developed in the 70s.