[Uman]

I did Combat Development/Force Mod at 1st GP.

The new gun and ammo at 80K chamber pressure looks to be a logistic nightmare on parts wear. But maybe something will be different. The plastic ammo. sounds great but we all know it will just take time to. knock brass off its pedestal as. a reliable cartridge case material. Who has not shot old green crusty ammo through their guns?

Had anyone done their research we could have fielded a new cartridge in the 1970s. The Center for Naval Analysis (CNA) did a study for the USMC in 1976 which predicted that the optimum single or two cartridge design would be between 6 and 7mm. The 5.56 was to light for wounding/incapacitation and the 7.62NATO to heavy in weight and recoil. In 2015 you should have seen the faces of the USMC Wpns Bn Commander at Quantico when I asked him and his Marines if they had seen the study. Could have heard a pin drop. It is a great study that takes into even carrying the weapon, ammo, recoil control.

The history of high velocity light weight rifleman rifle and ammunition post Korean War is very interesting and the end concept for the projectile would have raised the lethality rate for the rifle above its current rate of 30%. History shows that the rifle lethality rate hovers around 30% in all wars. Think 3 KIA per 30 round magazine due to the chaos of the battle field. Incapacitation rates around 60%.

The main weapons they needed upgrade for light infantry ground combat was the two killers, belt feed LMG and the organic 60/81mm mortars. All that Todd Hodnett long range SO ballistic computer tech need to be pushed over to the MG Tms to get first burst rounds on target other than walking tracers in. On the mortar side we need PGM mortar ammunition. We also need the wheeled vehicle mounted smart mortar system that are out there, basically the Dragon Fire on a JLTV. Mali could have been different if we had pushed for these as then the Team does not have to ask for anyone for anything and it is all weather capable.