Soldier Systems: US Army Considers Adopting an Interim Battle Rifle in 7.62 NATO
Soldier Systems: US Army Considers Adopting an Interim Battle Rifle in 7.62 NATO
According to multiple sources, what started out as a directed requirement for a 7.62 NATO Designated Marksmanship Rifle for issue to Infantry Rifle Squads has grown in scope to increase the Basis of Issue to all personnel in Brigade Combat Teams and perhaps beyond. The genesis of this requirement is overmatch. The troops feel like they’re in a street fight with a guy with longer arms. The 7.62x54R cartridge gives the enemy those longer arms.
I certainly understand the argument for overmatch capability and the growing interest in intermediate calibers, but I'm skeptical about any program seeking an 'interim' solution, especially for general issue. Interesting to watch as the Marines consider the M27 IAR for broader issue, while the Army ponders a completely different caliber. Meanwhile, modest upgrades to the M4 can't seem to gain traction (anyone remember the M4 PIP?), and we still haven't resolved M855A1 vs. Mk 318...
Does anyone have insight into this proposal?
Soldier Systems: US Army Considers Adopting an Interim Battle Rifle in 7.62 NATO
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Wondering Beard
If I remember correctly, aside from a moisin nagant manual bolt action rifle, the only other rifle using the 7.62x54R, still in use today, is the SVD (and its variants) semi auto which is a sort of sniper/DMR rifle.
So, US soldiers with an M4 are overmatched by either soldiers/jihadis/insurgents fighting with a bolt action rifle or snipers using an SVD?
Which enemy of ours uses primarily M91s and/or SVDs that our guys have to worry about being overmatched? because if there isn't any, then it's about worrying about snipers and I'm not sure that changing rifle rounds will have much of an effect.
I think the PKM would present a bigger, or at least more commonly encountered, threat.
Edit: I type slowly- addressed above.
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