[G3Kurz]

The boards have been a bit boring lately IMO. What say we spice things up a bit and get your creative juices flowing?

Considering all factors (current programs, leading COTS (eg HK416) and GOTS (eg SCAR, XM25, LSAT) offerings, trends, technologies, limitations, world events, threat developments, etc.) what would you see as the state-of-the-art for THE individual (primary) weapon or family of weapons in the world (does not have to be limited to U.S. use) and what are its unique features, capabilities?

I have my own ideas and opinions of course but would like to hear yours, especially from those who use currently or have recently used primary weapons in modern combat.

Who/what will control the battlefield in 2025? Will it offer an overmatch over opposing technologies/platforms and if so why?

Keep it civil please.

G3Kurz

 

[Brahma]

"Who/what will control the battlefield in 2025?"

Nuclear fallout, and Honda "ASIMO"-based, plasma-armed patrol bots, with tenth-generation drones overhead.

 

[MarcDW]

I don't think on the infantry weapon side we will see major changes in the next 10 years.
The US Forces may buy more HK 416/7 / M27 or a knockoff to replace the worn out M4's.
Still the M4 will still be the standard weapon.
The caliber will stay the 5.56X45, 7.62x51 and of cause .50 BMG.
The M9 will stay with the hated 9mm ball ammo.

Where we will see a huge improvement will be in equipment and electronics.
The new backpack for example the Army is getting is half the weight and stronger then anything they ever had.
If the "plastic frame" or fabric is hit, no material is carried into the body with the bullet.
The ballistic vests get a lot lighter and more protective.
The satellite communication and real time intell through UAV's will even be better then it is today.

 

[U.S. Praetorian]

Who/what will control the battlefield in 2025? Will it offer an overmatch over opposing technologies/platforms and if so why?



G3Kurz

The technological/intell advantage will determine this. However, the "battlefeild" must be redfined as it will be the urban population centers not Flanders Feild or the Hurtgen Forest and this will make for very difficult strageties as the "enemy" will be hard to identify. We are already seeing that since involvement in southeast asia.

 

[S_Phoenix]

UAV, helo's, with none lethal weapons, like what can now be mounted on a humvee. Personal gear will be mostly the same, just made to be lighter. Which will mean that they will want a trooper to carry twice as much. Scary things would be non-nuc emp generators that are man/small car portable. New IFV with a high power rail gun or chemical laser that can blind/kill a person in a fraction of a second.

Stealth UAV bombers that can stay up for weeks/months at a time with a payload x2/3 a b2 has now.

The ultimate will be, "rod's from God', aka space based rail gun's that can rain down death anywhere in minutes. Figure a constellation of satellites like GPS is now.

 

[NCDevilDog]

I'm with Marc. Short of a major political change in the EU or the US the caliber of weapons will not change much, not in the economics of today. The new 25mm grenades will become more plentiful, and hopefully cheaper, but the big players today will be the big players of the near future, simply because we have so much vested interest in them stockpile wise.

The biggest change on the battlefield in the last 10 years have been in C4I and individual equipment. From when I came in in 1995 to today every single item of issued gear has changed save the E-tool. Nothing else remains. The C4I now gives the troops at a fire team level the ability to control a battle space as large as what a platoon could control in the '90's, and access to real time feeds from UAV's from angels 5 to 35. That's just freaking cool.

Unless of course you want to talk MOUT. All bets are off there. In that realm the RPG-7 and AK-47 shall remain king with our enemies while the west spends billions to fight a $500 problem. Long live capitalism!

 

[pb_removed]

In that relatively short amount of time, I don't think we will see much in terms of innovative small-arms development. In that time, I think we will see more gradual transition to piston systems like with the IAR in small concentrated doses. Given that the US will most likely continue to be engaged in the Middle-East region indefinitely, I think we will continue to see constant progression in our long-range sniper rifles and DMR rifles. I think many will go whole hog and transition to .338LM for long-range bolt guns and relegate the the 7.62 to DMR role in carbines (Think KAC EMC/ HK 417). As a side note, I wouldn't be surprised to see another attempt at electronic ignition of metallic cartridges (like the ill-fated Remington 700 EtronX)

Again, I don't have much hopes for major innovations in small arms, but I do have VERY high hopes for optics technology. Here are a few things I think we will see in the relatively near future:

- Day scopes the size of an ACOG or ELCAN with integral nightvision. In time, I think thermal, and thermal/nv hybrid will all be available in a compact package for the standard infantryman

- Use of digital/HD video technology display for small-arms optics. Think ELCAN Digital hunter...but smaller, more advanced.

- Integral ballistic computer/weather station/range finder will be built into the scope and eventually will correct for windage/elevation for a given point of aim with the push of a single button....or maybe even automatically.

I also wouldn't be surprised if the US had this kind of optical technology and used it on a weapon platform that was fielded in the 1960's.

 

[Shattered Mind]

IED's will reign supreme... your choice of activation.

 

[fordemti]

I guess nobody plays call of duty. RAY GUN!!!

 

[merick01]

Electronic warfare will be the most dominated field of improvements. The only problem with that, the big Army operates on a 8th grade level. I was teaching a class on BFT when a soldier raised his hand stating "Why are we learning this? My iPhone does the same thing." urgh!

 

[df662]

Ok this is not a weapon but I thought it was pretty cool and most likely will be used by the military in the future.

 

[Spetsnaz2.0]

Primery gun Will chenge to bullpup 223 such as AUG, FAMAS, tavor, ETC

 

[S_Phoenix]

- Integral ballistic computer/weather station/range finder will be built into the scope and eventually will correct for windage/elevation for a given point of aim with the push of a single button....or maybe even automatically.

I also wouldn't be surprised if the US had this kind of optical technology and used it on a weapon platform that was fielded in the 1960's.

Its already out there. Darpa/Sandia has acog size scope with range finder and wind reading laser's built in that will mover the chevron to where you need to aim to hit the target. Only thing is that the user has to carry a large computer and its battery right now. But once they can get it down to the size of a PDA that can be put in say the stock we will be seeing it fielded.

 

[pb_removed]

Its already out there. Darpa/Sandia has acog size scope with range finder and wind reading laser's built in that will mover the chevron to where you need to aim to hit the target. Only thing is that the user has to carry a large computer and its battery right now. But once they can get it down to the size of a PDA that can be put in say the stock we will be seeing it fielded.

Nearly everything I mentioned is available now in some form. The task at hand is making it portable, practical, and affordable (relatively speaking)

 

[nat91683]

All I need is a HOYT bow like Rambo had or the m60 will work fine. I dont see much change but Beretta has a new full auto rifle out with a quick change barrel the are trying to get the USA to contract and it is still a 5.56mm I saw it at the Shot Show and it's a nice gun I have been told some countrys are starting to contract them.

 

[work2live]

All I need is a HOYT bow like Rambo had or the m60 will work fine. I dont see much change but Beretta has a new full auto rifle out with a quick change barrel the are trying to get the USA to contract and it is still a 5.56mm I saw it at the Shot Show and it's a nice gun I have been told some countrys are starting to contract them.

Just looked at that, and the first thing I thought of was the XM8.

 

[nat91683]

Yes it dose have that XM8 kind of look but I never got to play with a XM8 the Beretta did feel great to me and barrel change in under 5 seconds and 3 or 4 barrel lengths

 

[NCDevilDog]

Primery gun Will chenge to bullpup 223 such as AUG, FAMAS, tavor, ETC

Um, no. Not on this side of the pond anyway. Americans HATE bullpups. Not sure why as I kind of like them myself, especially the AUG, but it will not catch on here.

 

[klyph]

It seems that everyone wants a small round that flies fast and flat and penetrates deep (5.56/5.7x28/5.4x39). They also want more rounds in a smaller/lighter package. It seems to me this could be accomplished by using an explosive that can produce the same gas volume as cordite with less initial weight/volume. The strength of the bolt/chamber would need to be improved, but imagine a round the size of a .22lr with the muzzle energy of a 5.56x45.

 

[Spetsnaz2.0]

Um, no. Not on this side of the pond anyway. Americans HATE bullpups. Not sure why as I kind of like them myself, especially the AUG, but it will not catch on here.

Americans will love it after someone makes Bullpup in 50cal with 50 accessory rails. Bullpup is as short as SBR and without ATF paperwork.