Army Chooses Sig 6.8 mm Next Gen to replace the M4 carbine and M249 Squad Auto

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The Army announced Tuesday that it selected Sig Sauer to manufacture and deliver a 6.8 mm Next Generation Squad Weapon to replace the M4 carbine and M249 Squad Automatic Weapon, which both fire the 5.56 mm round.

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The $4.7 billion rifle and automatic rifle weapons contract and the $2.7 billion contract for the advanced, computer-assisted fire control optic that works with both weapons, are the most substantial changes to individual- or squad-level small arms in generations.

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There are no current plans to issue the NGSW to non-close combat soldiers. Soldiers in fields other than those listed or not assigned to a direct combat unit will continue to use the M4 options and the M249 SAW, Burris said. And if their commands choose, special operations forces and combat arms Marines will also be included in fielding plans, officials said.

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The Army chose the 6.8 mm round following the publication of the 2017 Small Arms Ammunition Configuration Study. The study was driven in part by advances in adversary body armor and field reports of underperformance and lackluster lethality for the 5.56 mm round at distances beyond 300 meters in Afghanistan gun battles. In Army research, officials said, the 6.8 mm round outperforms the 5.56 mm on distance, accuracy and energy for lethal effects on target. That measure counts for lethal effects on either protected or unprotected targets.

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While the 5.56 mm reaches its lethality limits at or before the 300 meter range, the 6.8 mm can effectively destroy targets at 600 meters and beyond, according to Army officials. For civilian shooters, the 6.8 mm baseline measurements resemble a beefed-up version of a familiar cartridge from the hunting world, the .270 caliber rifle round.

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