Posted on 06/03/2025 6:08:34 AM PDT by marktwain
The U.S. Army has announced that the MARS Inc, Barrett team has been selected as the winner of the xTech Soldier Lethality competition. The competition was done on a highly accelerated basis over six months. The system of semi-automatic launcher, optic, and projectiles is known as the Precision Grenadier System or PG22.
The weight of the XM 157 optics was not announced, but it is probably in the 2-3 lb range. The optic system is sophisticated. It is said to include atmospheric sensors. It includes a laser rangefinder and ballistic calculators. This correspondent would not be surprised if it included an integrating crosswind system. If you look carefully at the rail on the image of the rifle, you can see it is at a 1.4-degree angle to the bore. This allows the optic to be more centered on the probable trajectory of these relatively low-velocity projectiles. From turdef.com:
The grenade launcher is also seen to be fitted with the XM157 optic, which is also used on the XM7 rifle, which is planned to become the U.S. Army’s new infantry rifle. The optic capable of 1-8x zoom incorporates a ballistic computer and laser range finder to improve practical accuracy at extended ranges.
The 30×42 mm grenades are being developed to be capable of reaching a range of 500 m in less than three seconds, suggesting a muzzle velocity far higher than 40×51 mm Medium Velocity grenades used on hand-held grenade launchers at 166+ m/s.
(Excerpt) Read more at ammoland.com ...
My money is on some type of frequency disruption for drones.
I would think a shoulder-fired flak cannon with a proximity fuse and a kill radius of about 5m would work. Anything that could take the props out would do.
I can see it now: the Warthog of drones.
I recall M1-A1 training without adding pounds of ultra-expensive equipment:
The M203 was my buddy throughout my time of service. Finding the extra weight and large grip under the barrel significantly improved rifle accuracy was icing on the cake of an all-around problem solver.
After some practice with the front elevation leaf site I didn't see a need for electronic enhancement. But too much of the modern military attempts to "dummy-proof" everything to the gleeful enrichment of contractors.
In practice, it won’t be any better than an M-79 or a 203.
Yes but it will fill many rice bowls.
Possibly, but fiber optic drones (similar to a TOW missile cable) don't rely on a radio signal.
https://www.armyrecognition.com/news/aerospace-news/2024/russian-fiber-optic-controlled-fpv-is-not-so-russian-but-chinese
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