New Weapons for our Soldiers

[markinalpine]

A few new goodies in the works:
.50 Cal Machine Gun
Improved 60mm Mortar
Deadlier Tank Round
Army Times Article

Mark

[horsesoldier03]

IMO it is just a waste of our tax dollars. The US is alreay on top when it comes to equipment and weapons. Also, currently our enemies have no tanks or armor vehicles, they are running around in Dautsan pickups.

[Bob Winchester]

I wonder how much JMB has invested in the 30 and 50 cal guns? Bet it was much less than 100 grand and far less 400 million with over run! Ma Deuce has been laying down the law for almost 100 years and still scares the he!! out of me!

[AJMD429]

IMO it is just a waste of our tax dollars. The US is alreay on top when it comes to equipment and weapons. Also, currently our enemies have no tanks or armor vehicles, they are running around in Dautsan pickups.

Yep. AND they drive government-paid-for limosines to and from the halls of Congress, which is even worse....

[Cliff]

Not up on the current technology of the weapons being discussed, but back in the early 1960's they tried to improve the M2 50 caliber, making a lot of claims for it. The proposed new gun was a flop and they stayed with the old "Ma Duce". They have tried a lot of different ideas for a 60 MM with same results and as for a new super pentatrator for the M1A1 ammunition, the day it hits the service units it will be obsolete. Too many decision makers always fight last war, and lock in production for those type situations only to find they, the enemy, has changed the rules they want to play under. A lot of it is from "We know best" crowd and the "Not invented here" crowd. The M-14 was thought to be the answer to the problems encountered with M1-Garand. It is a great rifle, design and developement only cost in the area of 175 Million dollars, while other countries went with their own ideas for what was needed, but then they weren't invented here. The end result on the M-14 was the shutdown and closure of the Springfield Armory due to lack of speed in design and waste. Just my take on this stuff. Hope it gets better down the road. ATB

[COSteve]

Back in my tanker days, our M-60A1s had the M-85 50 cal MG. It was designed as a smaller unit with a fixed headspace. It also used different 50 cal ammo than the M2. Our co axially mounted 30 cal. MG, the M-73 was also a new design. It had problems too I remember working on them as they'd break parts all the time. I'm pretty sure the Army dropped both from service.

[madman4570]

Forget the new toys boys!
Looks like they are cutting defense spending 50%
Soon we will be back to using spears and knives.

Sure there are redundant things that the Military can tighten their belt on(like anywhere else) but "mark my words"
If--------They do an actual "50% Defense Spending Cut" causing the retardation of the current and future technology design of warfare prevention tools and advanced combat assault weaponry but countries as China/Russia/India/Middle East all still gearing up on theirs (we will regret this decision beyond what words can describe.

I truly will then have deep fear for our country,much more than present

[BAGTIC]

There have been several 'improved' fifty caliber machine guns over the years. They all had two shortcomings. 1). There weren't as cheap as government surplus for an 80 year old design. 2). Although they were definitely 'better' they weren't 'perfect'. As "the best is the enemy of the good" if it isn't perfect we'll just stick with the junk that's 'good enough'.

[horsesoldier03]

I am pretty sure alot of those M85s are still being used today steve. I spent over 12 yrs in AR units and thats what they were using when I retired back in 05. If it wasnt the M85 it looked almost identical. I bet they could still fund alot of these new weapons if we werent changing Uniforms so quick. It seems like everytime we turn around they think they have to have the latest gucciflauge pattern, not to mention changing from the Class A's to a Dress Blue type uniform. IMO the change to the Dress Blues would have made a little sense, IF, they hadnt of decided in order to change over to it, it had to be changed too. But hey, its just my opinion!