Re: HIGH TECH WONDER INDIVIDUAL WEAPON

--- Ryan M Gill <rmgill@mindspring.com> wrote:

> section and use just the 5.56 unit. Also note, the
> whole OICW 
> component is meant for those men in the squad that
> would be using the 
> 40mm grenade component on their M4's anyhow.

1)In real combat units[*] we use M-16s, with a handful
of M-4s.  In my current unit, it's PL, PSG, etc.  In
Germany we had more, so we issued them to vehicle
crewmen as well.  The M-4 is a carbine.  It has a role
as the weapon of people who have things to do in a
firefight other than put rounds onto the enemy.  Now
they want to take away the M-16 entirely and replace
it with a carbine with a high-tech grenade launcher
that probably won't work anyway.

> Front like combat soldiers tend to have them. If
> they had the ability 
> to handle light anti-armor rounds as well, they'd be
> happier I think.

Right.	A 20mm low velocity grenade?  That's going to
kill what, a BRDM maybe??  Yipee.  I'm just not
enthused or convinced that it would represent a major
improvement over a 40mm grenade.
 
> Remember the whole reason of the OICW is that it
> reduces the need for 
> other anti-armor rounds and gives a better ranged
> grenade capability.

You'll still need AT-4s to kill anything bigger than a
BRDM.  And I ain't worried about BRDMs because if the
enemy's scouts aren't dead by the time I get to the
fight, someone's done something deeply wrong.

John 

[*]Defined as:	Units who's primary mission is to
engage the enemy with small arms or who do so as an
adjunct to performing their primary mission.

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