Army reveals that the XM25 has been in combat already
http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2010/...an/?test=faces
Hmmm, this really surprises me. After all the years of hearing about "awesome" new weapons systems (G11, OICW, XM8, etc.), I've become numb to caring about them. I tend to expect that they won't turn out to be as cost-effective or necessary as the contractor hypes them to be, and that they'll die long before they reach the field. But if the XM25 has actually been used in combat in Afghanistan, already...wow. It'll be interesting to see whether it proves effective. If so, it means that the OICW program wasn't a complete waste. EDIT: OK, I exaggerate somewhat...they haven't said specifically that soldiers have been using XM25s to kill Taliban yet, just that the weapons have been issued to combat units on deployment. |
I want one
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That looks like a bit of an improvement over the original OICW prototypes, but I still think the weapon, while sporting impressive capabilities, seems a bit unwieldy to me. Personally, I wouldn't want to haul that in the field.
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I think its more a weapon theyd carry in their vehicle and deploy if needed, not just haul around all day.
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I wouldn't want to carry it around either, but it's really not any heavier than an LMG and a pretty significant advantage if it really does what it says on the box.
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But the fact that the Army has enough confidence to start putting XM25s in the field is significant. That's a lot farther than the OICW and XM8 ever got. Also, they're already talking about issuing them to regular infantry and Airborne units, not just SF, in the next year (though we can't be sure they're serious yet). |
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Would be awesome if they can miniaturize this thing into near the size of an M203 so it can be mounted on a rifle, because a man who gets to hold the XM-25 might not be able to carry a rifle.
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My big problems are these: (1.) The XM25 is technically complex, which means more difficult to maintain in the field (most likely). (2.) It's still friggin' expensive ($35K per unit). Even with the reduced costs of placing a bulk order, there's no way the Army is going to be able to issue these to every combat unit in Afghanistan. |
If the technology in this thing can withstand being shook around, bang around and near explosions.
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