PDWs

IANACSMP[1] but:

Okay, I'm not going to do anything but ask a 
question or two here and suggest one outlook 
in which the PDW might make sense. Of course, 
if I'm wrong, I'm sure someone (and odds say 
his initials will be J.A.) will leap up and burn me 
from my pulpit.... :) 

The lastest generation of PDWs (like the 4.6mm 
one from H&K) are supposed to offer a small 
firearm capable of some moderate range, 
some decent penetration, quite a few shots, 
and provide this in a small form factor that is 
light, easy to carry, and easy to keep 'out-of-
the-way'. The FN90 is a bit on the large size of 
that, and this class of weapons has been 
represented in past by certain "specialty" 
pistols with autofire and stocks and such and by 
SMGs. But now they're getting smaller, lighter, 
and I believe more dangerous to armoured 
targets. 

Now, are they a replacement for an AR? No. 
But if you're an armour crewman working in 
confined spaces, a medic working in confined 
spaces, or some supply guy, etc., the fact that 
the PDW is small and easily portable may be a 
greater factor. It offers a better capability than 
pistols for ranged combat (I believe) and 
therefore is an improvement on the pistol as a 
sidearm. And isn't that the function (more or 
less) of the PDW? It's meant for those kind of 
soldier that aren't primary combatants (on the 
ground). Armour, aircrew, medics, etc. 

Yes, you can argue that the AR is a better 
choice. Sure. In a fight. But if 95% of your job is 
non-combat, and what you do is important 
(getting supplies to places, patching people up, 
driving a vehicle, etc), then if you do try to 
make the AR work, you may only be causing 
yourself grief for a questionable benefit. 

The whether or not to carry an AR or PDW issue 
is sort of like the "do engineers expect to see 
recce elements" issue. In a perfect world, no 
one would need more than a PDW in the 
secondary or tertiary military branches. In a 
perfect world, engineers would never see 
enemy recce, they'd be dead. In the real world, 
there are times that these folks might like more 
firepower or that engineers might see enemy 
recce. These kinds of things sometimes happen 
even if they are a "bad thing". 

But that doesn't invalidate the value of a PDW. If 
I had a job where my options were 1) carry an 
AR and impede my primary taskings 2) carry 
nothing (or a pistol) or 3) carry a PDW and get 
some capability and a good ability to execute 
my primary non-combat taskings, then the PDW 
would start to look pretty good. 

Don't look at it as a replacement for the AR, 
but look at it as a replacement for the sidearm.

And I don't know about John, but I'm pretty 
impressed by the ability of the 5.7mm round 
used in the FiveSeven and the FN90 to 
penetrate ballistic armour. I bet if it hits an 
unarmoured target, the bullet probably just 
punches a hole and does not do much damage, 
but even a shot through the arm or leg can be 
disabling. Overpenetration would be a danger in 
urban environments (I can see cops not using 
this kind of round), but versus armoured 
targets, it would make a lot of sense. 

>From my conversations with Los, I get the 
impression most of the SF involves close range 
work and instinct shooting. A lot of work with 
the "secondary" (pistol) and the M4. The 
principal concern here I believe is manipulability 
in urban situations, accuracy in closer-ranged 
shootouts, and the weight. Now, operating 
outside in a desert, they might well choose a 
different weapons loadout, but for a lot of ops, 
the M4 makes sense. At the ranges they work 
at, and the way they shoot, it probably doesn't 
matter that max range is less. 

Like most things in life, it is about picking the 
right tool for the job. And everyone would 
always like to have every capability available: 
range, accuracy, silence, penetration, tissue 
damage, etc. - but sometimes choices need to 
be made and weight and manouverability are 
not small factors in these calculations. 

Tomb. 
[1] IANACSM - I am not a currently serving 
military professional 

---------------------------------------------
Thomas Barclay
Co-Creator of http://www.stargrunt.ca 
Stargrunt II and Dirtside II game site
"In God We Trust... on Cold Steel We Depend."