#Army

Despite setbacks, SOFREP.com reports that the XM25 is set to be adopted by the US Army and named the M25 …

Expect newly manufactured AK magazines to be in short supply in the near future. The Army is soliciting bids to purchase 592,825 7.62x39mm AK magazines.

Only last year the Army announced that they have ordered an additional 100,000 (no, that is not a typo) additional Beretta M9 Pistols, but the Army Times reports that the Army will be testing M9 replacements next year. How long do you think the M9, which was introduced in 1990, will continue to be in service?

The Army plan on switching to the leadless M80A1 7.62x51mm in 2014, after having gone “green” with the 5.56mm M855A1 EPR (Enhanced Performance Round) which they switch to from the M855 in 2010.

The companies who had entered rifles into the Improved Carbine Competition have been notified that the program has been canceled. The Army never wanted to run the competition in the first place, and has tried many times to cancel it, but congress kept intervening. Last week the House Armed Services Committee passed a budget amendment to prevent the Army canceling the program, but to become law it would have needed to pass in the Senate, which would take a few months. Seeing their window of opportunity, the Army moved quickly and cancelled the program. I have no doubt that the Army is dismantling  everything to do with the program, salting the earth if you will, making sure that this program cannot be resurrected. Given the recent DoD budget cuts, I cannot see how congress are going to justify starting this program up again. Military.com reports …

The Army continues to do everything they can to scuttle the new carbine competition. Remember it was politicians,  some who were concerned that the M4 was not performing as promised and others who eyed getting manufacturing contracts for their supporters, who called for a new carbine program, not the Army. Bloomberg reports …

The improved, “Enhanced 50″, version of the M2 Browning has been named one of the Army’s greatest inventions of 2011.

Beretta USA said on their Facebook page that the US Army has purchased 100,000 more Beretta M9 pistols and has confirmed that the M9 will remain their sidearm for the next five years.

The US Army has patented a system to convert surplus 155mm projectiles containing bomblets into 40mm grenades.

Matthew Cox reports at Military.com …

FORT BENNING, Ga. (March 9, 2012) — The U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit is expanding with creation of a Marksmanship Instructor Group and Paralympic Section, the first-ever Army units designed specifically for wounded warriors deemed able to continue to serve on active duty.

Clarksville online reports that the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division is the first unit to be issued the M26 MASS shotgun. The M26 is a bolt action magazine fed shotgun that can be used standalone or attached underneath an M4 barrel.

S&W has pulled out of the Army’s next generation carbine competition. Army Times reports …

At AUSA Remington Debuted a new version of the Remington ACR. This version is the model that the company plans on submitting to the Army Improved Carbine competition. It features a magnesium lower, with standard AR-15 grip and trigger guard, adjustable but non-foldable stock, carbine-length gas system, no quick change barrel (it has a new barrel nut), folding charging handle and new metal finishes. These changes help shave 1.8 lbs of weight from the gun. Photos and information are courtesy of TenPoundMonkey.

The XM25 Counter Defilade Target Engagement (CDTE) System has been renamed the XM25 Individual Semiautomatic Air Burst System. The former name sounded much to technical and could be applied to just about anything from shovels to hand grenades. I rarely saw it used in Army PR. The new name has much greater congressional appeal 🙂