USMC Awards Infantry Automatic Rifle Contract to HK...

[Cyfer]

Wasn't sure if this was posted yet, but didn't find anything via search, so I thought I needed to share the good news. Oorah!! to The Corps for selecting a new IAR from a HK 416 variant...
USMC selects HK | Sniper's Hide

 

[hkusp1]

So 416's all the way around? I wonder what the USMC cost per unit is.

 

[Dreamliner787]

Cool!!

 

[M. Sage]

That's not a 416, it's the IAR which is largely replacing the SAW.

 

[hkusp1]

Seems kind of pointless to replace a suppressive lmg that can be belt fed and use a regular m16 magazine with basically a piston driven m16. The only upside that I can see is weight reduction.

 

[Mikewood]

Someone might be buying thousands of 100 round AR mags.

 

[JaketheBake]

I don't get it. They're replacing the SAW with what appears to be just a tricked out M16 replacement? What are they going to do about something that gives a squad MORE firepower? I like small-unit sniper doctrine, but why replace the SAW with it? This is just goofy.

 

[Acera]

From the article...........

Designated the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle, the lightweight, 11.62 pounds weapon

LOL, what crap. For reference the M1 Garand weighs in at 9.5 pounds, M14 at 11.5 pounds loaded, original M-16 was about 5.5 pounds and designed to be lighter than its predecessors. They call that lightweight? I guess if you intend to replace the SAW, but I just don't get their thinking on this one, I loved my issued M249, and it did not have all the cool gadgets that today's version has.

Does this mean that the Marines can quit bitching about how the Army gets all the good stuff and all they get is worn out leftovers???

 

[txgunner00]

Interesting, but not sure of it's practicality & effectiveness compared to a belt fed. We'll see how it works out- hopefully it doesn't cost lives.

 

[JaketheBake]

Does this mean that the Marines can quit bitching about how the Army gets all the good stuff and all they get is worn out leftovers???

Bitching? We weren't bitching about it. We took pride in it!

 

[TheDan]

Someone might be buying thousands of 100 round AR mags.

Careful... burn through that much ammo and you might have to water cool it.

 

[weiss27md]

Good, there were always problems with the SAW.

 

[M. Sage]

Seems kind of pointless to replace a suppressive lmg that can be belt fed and use a regular m16 magazine with basically a piston driven m16. The only upside that I can see is weight reduction.

IIRC, when it's cool it fires from a closed bolt, which is more accurate. When it heats up it switches to open bolt operation to prevent cook-off.

With most modern fighting going on in urban environments, there are other very desirable things to going with this weapon. It LOOKS like an M4, making it harder for the enemy to target your gunner. It can be used like an M4 for close quarters. Moving through rooms with a SAW can't be fun.

 

[Angered_Kabar]

You have to understand why they want it and then it makes sense. An automatic weapon that's lighter and more accurate than what's being used, and doesn't require humping around belts of ammo.

 

[TheDan]

IIRC, when it's cool it fires from a closed bolt, which is more accurate. When it heats up it switches to open bolt operation to prevent cook-off.

Ok, that's pretty neat right there...

 

[M. Sage]

Yeah, but I was wrong about it. Some of its competitors had that function. IAR is strictly closed-bolt it turns out.

Oh, and that so-very-heavy overall weight? That's loaded (30 round magazine), with all accessories - sights, optics, vertical grip, rail covers, bipod...

 

[pvtsnowball82]

IAR is strictly closed-bolt it turns out.

So I guess it has a lower rate of fire than a SAW, thus heating up less? Or do they just keep it pointed downrange just in case?

 

[M. Sage]

There's at least one other way to prevent cook-off, but with 30 (or even 100) round magazines, it'll be harder to match the SAW's total output. They might also be counting on firefights being a bit shorter than the ones the SAW was probably designed for.

 

[Coop45]

Dumb question.......as I understand it, most Marines carry a version of the M-16 capable of 3 round bursts. Is there a designated AR man in each fire team with a full auto rifle. Did the SAW fill the spot of the AR man in the fire team or did it replace the M-60 machine gun attached to each squad? Either way, how will the HK be deployed? Thanks for your answers.