#USArmy

The US Army has launched their official Prototype Project Opportunity Notice (PPON) inviting design submission for both the Next Generation Squad Weapon-Rifle (NGSW-R) and the Next Generation Squad
Weapon-Automatic Rifle (NGSW-AR), both chambered in the Army’s new specification general purpose 6.8mm round.

The US Army has announced that they have awarded LaserMaxDefense a contract for 20,000 Pistol Enhancers, LMD’s multifunction aiming light (MFAL). The Army was seeking a commercial off the shelf laser/light system for its new pistols. The LMD-PE-IR-1 ‘Pistol Enhancer’ beat out competition from Streamlight’s TLR-8 to win the contract. LMD describe the Pistol Enhancer MFAL as “the smallest, lightest and most efficient white light/IR Illuminator/IR laser on the market.”

On the 21 December, the US Army Contracting Command released a special notice for a ‘Squad Fire Control’ optic to be used in conjunction with the Army’s Next Generation Weapons. With the effective range of the Army’s new weapons expected to far exceed current engagement ranges the new weapon systems will need a new optic capable of making full use of the weapons’ potential.

Another set of US Department of Defense solicitations has been published on the website of a US government program called SBIR ( Small Business Innovation Research). This program includes a huge variety of different projects initiated by all branches of US Armed Forces. In this article, we’ll discuss a US Army solicitation for designing an innovative muzzle brake for artillery guns.

L3 Technologies, parent company of EOTECH, has confirmed they have been awarded a $26.3 million contract to supplied the latest version of their EOTECH holographic weapon sight and G33 magnifier to USSOCOM. The five-year indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract will see an unspecified number of optics and magnifiers manufactured at EOTECH’s plant in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

The US Army’s Contracting Command has awarded SIG Sauer a major five year contract to provide commercial off the shelf rifles and pistols to be fulfilled by 2023. The commercial off the shelf contract is likely for foreign military sales as it includes numerous weapon systems not currently adopted by the US military.

The US Army is set to receive a new batch of .50 calibre M107 long range sniper rifles with the Department of Defense announcing the contract award on the 28th November. The near $8 million dollar order will see Barrett Firearms provide between 700 and 800 rifles.These are likely destined for the Army and possibly for foreign military sale.

In the early 1900s Hiram Percy Maxim, son of the inventor of the Maxim gun, began developing early suppressors which he christened ‘silencers’. It wasn’t long before the US Army took interest in these new silencers and began testing them.

Hot on the heels of some of the other successful Sub Compact Weapon programme contractors Charlotte, NC-based Angstadt Arms have unveiled their entry, the Angstadt SCW-9. Back in September  we reported that the US Army had selected 6 Sub Compact Weapon prototypes for testing. Contracts for test guns were placed with  Global Ordnance, Angstadt Arms, B&T USA,  Shield Arms, Sig Sauer and Trident Rifles.

The Department of Defense has announced the purchase of $177,214,218 worth of M4 carbines with orders split equally between Colt and FN America. The orders were made on behalf of the US Army’s Contracting Command.

In late October men of the 1st Squadron, 3rd Cavalry Regiment, currently deployed to Iraq, trained with the Drone Defender, an anti-drone device. The Drone Defender is made by Battelle, pictured is an earlier version of the system, the Drone Defender V2 – a newer, more compact variant is now available.

In September we reported that the US Army had selected 6 Sub Compact Weapon prototypes for testing. Contracts for test guns were placed with  Global Ordnance, Angstadt Arms, B&T USA, Shield Arms, Sig Sauer and Trident Rifles. Today we have a first look at Shield Arms’ entry, the SA-9.

TFB’s Matthew Moss recently covered the special M17 SIG Sauers for the Sentinels at Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. There are now more pictures to share, from the Guards themselves.

With the launch of a new draft Next Generation Squad Weapons (NGSW) PON a couple of weeks ago, I suggested this might be a reboot of the Army’s flagship small arms programme. The Army has now responded to that suggestion.

The NGSAR is dead, long live the NGSW. We haven’t heard much from the US Army about its next generation infantry weapons programme since the announcement of six contract awards for the Next Generation Squad Automatic Rifle (NGSAR) back in June. Just a week before the Association of the United States Army (AUSA)’s 2018 annual meeting Army Contracting Command has released a new draft Next Generation Squad Weapons Prototype Opportunity Notice (PON).