The main drawback of this weapon is that the XM25 grenadier would have to carry both the launcher AND an M4, or else not be able to support himself during a firefight.
Posted on 11/28/2010 6:29:13 PM PST by Pan_Yan
Since the dawn of modern warfare, the best way to stay alive in the face of incoming fire has been to take cover behind a wall. But thanks to a game-changing "revolutionary" rifle, the U.S. Army has made that tactic dead on arrival. Now the enemy can run, but he can't hide.
After years of development, the U.S. Army has unleashed a new weapon in Afghanistan -- the XM25 Counter Defilade Target Engagement System, a high-tech rifle that can be programmed so that its 25-mm. ammunition does not necessarily explode on impact. Instead, it can be set to detonate either in front of or behind a target, meaning it literally will go through a wall before it explodes and kills the enemy.
It also has a range of roughly 2,300 feet -- nearly the length of eight football fields -- making it possible to fire at targets well past the range of the rifles and carbines that most soldiers carry today.
Lt. Col. Christopher Lehner, project manager for the semi-automatic, shoulder-fired weapon system for the U.S. Army's Program Executive Office Soldier, said that the XM25's capability alone is such a "game-changer" that it'll lead to new ways of fighting on the battlefield, beginning this month in Afghanistan.
...
Lehner said the first XM25s were distributed to combat units in Afghanistan this month. The 12-pound, 29-inch system, which was designed by Minnesota's Alliant Techsystems, costs up to $35,000 per unit and, while highly sophisticated, is so easy to use that soldiers become proficient within minutes.
"That's how intuitively easy it is, even though it's high-tech," Lehner said. "All a soldier needs to know how to do is laze the target. It decimates anything within its lethal radius."
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
- Now standard issue for The Australian Army/ADF.
The main drawback of this weapon is that the XM25 grenadier would have to carry both the launcher AND an M4, or else not be able to support himself during a firefight.
Not exactly. The distant possibility that we will choose not to use this on our enemies is coupled with the very close possibility that Federal Agents will have these in their hands as a means of trumping the intended purpose of the 2nd Ammendment.
BTTT!
Don't worry. You won't be allowed to legally purchase one of these no matter what you are willing to pay.
Don't worry, as soon as it's fielded against citizens, it'll turn up in civilian hands. That's just how the "Doctrine of Trade Up," works!
And, on the other end of the spectrum, there is the AK47 and the RPG both of which are available with pictogram instructions so that any illiterate terrorist can pick one up and begin killing the enemies of the state or where relevant, the enemies of Allah immediately!
...or the TSA.
I would guess it has a first return/last return option like a lot of other laser range finders that will allow for snow, rain, smoke or other battle obscurants. They'd be silly if they didn't.
This seems more like a laser sighted grenade launcher than a rifle.
How do you think it would do against helicopters?
It appears it's pretty much a grenade launcher with a hardened, explosive projectile.
Actually, weapons of this type have been the absolute wet dream of the US Army since Bob McNamara ran the Pentagon in the 1960s. The weapon of that day was called “SPIW” — Special Purpose Individual Weapon. It was supposed to fire flechettes — nails with fins — and an APERS grenade. About the only good thing that came from the SPIW was the M203 grenade launcher from AAI.
The SPIW went through at least three iterations before dying as the SBR — Serial Bullet Rifle — and that program morphed into the defunct ACR — Advanced Combat Rifle — program. Fifty years of defunct programs unmarred by progress.
Sounds like a specialized-use weapon to me. I’m sure it wouldn’t do anything more formidable than dry-wall.
1.Kill the bad guy. This is the aim of warfare.
2. Take less casualties. In our history, the number of casualties has been a major focus to keeping interest in any conflict. The liberals, who rarely do any of the fighting clamor for it to end citing those casualties. If you look a the numbers, casualties have declined in all our conflicts up to and including Afghanistan and Iraq.
3. Weapons development saves lives. The XM25 allows the small unit the ability to engage targets faster than the time needed to call in air support to eliminate. Engaging at further distances limits chances of casualties.
4. Win. The objective is eliminate your opponent. Let the bad guys know they cannot do anything about it. If the Jihadists want to die, let them die where they can't hurt our boys and girls. Out of their range.
don’t call me dude, bitch.
don’t call me bitch dude.
...a high-tech rifle that can be programmed so that its 25-mm. ammunition does not necessarily explode on impact. Instead, it can be set to detonate either in front of or behind a target, meaning it literally will go through a wall before it explodes and kills the enemy. It also has a range of roughly 2,300 feet......and I'd still like to see what it would do in the hands of one of our battle androids. Thanks Pan_Yan for the topic, and thanks neverdem for the ping.
Well, yes, we do have our priorities...
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