Lightweight Small Arms Technologies (LSAT) Machine Gun

[Rifleman62]

To add to the post above re the NG- SAW

Army's new firearm puts power of a tank in soldiers’ hands - 19 Jul 18 (Video at link)
Defense Specialist Allison Barrie has a first look at the Army's new machine gun, which is made to be lighter, shoot farther, and pack the power of an M1 Abrams tank in the palm of soldiers' hands.[/i]

The article here: http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2018/07/19/armys-new-machine-gun-will-blast-like-battle-tanks.html

 

[a_majoor]

Popular Mechanics has a small article on new weapons for the US Army. some things are a bit unclear (the article seems to refer to 6.8mm round but a "lightweight ammunition system with reduced noise and flash". LSAT type telescoped ammunition?) The key element is using computerized sights to radically enhance the accuracy of the shooter. The new weapon system includes both a rifle and light machine gun.

I would imagine the same sort of ballistic sight system would also become rapidly introduced for GPMGs, HMGs (if they are still around) and the Carl Gustave. Getting more accurate fire will provide a huge increase in the lethality of solders, so long as they are also taught basic marksmanship for those times the computerized sight stops working.

https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/weapons/a26344516/army-infantry-guns-computerized-fire-control/

 

[brihard]

As long as they keep it simple, that could be pretty cool- but simplicity and reliability would have to be absolutely key, and whatever optic it's projected on (I'm imagining a ballistically compensated holographic reticule that automatically adjusts for range) would have to have a standard battle sight as well in case something craps out.

Not knowing much about laser rangefinding - the lasers that are emitted to do that, are they something that can be easily detected? Is there a risk that the right enemy optic could basically see every emitted laser as plainly as we might see a muzzle flash at night?