What rifle is the military switching to?

in the Army’s Next Generation Squad Weapon, or NGSW, effort, designed to begin arming close-combat units with a rifle and automatic rifle chambered for a specially designed 6.8mm projectile. Fielding is set to begin sometime in fiscal 2022.

What replaced the M249 SAW?

The gun that will replace both the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon and the M16/M4 rifle/carbine weapons — and add a new, widely distributed caliber to the U.S. military inventory for the first time in decades — is less than two years away.

What replaced the M16 a2?

M4 carbine
This week, the Marine Corps announced via internal memo that the M4 carbine will become the primary-issued rifle in infantry and security units, as well as replace the M16 rifle in supporting training schools by September 2016.

Did the M4A1 replace the M16?

The M4 is extensively used by the United States Armed Forces and is largely replacing the M16 rifle in United States Army and United States Marine Corps (USMC) combat units as the primary infantry weapon and service rifle.

Is there a replacement for the M16 rifle?

Replacing the M16: Five lethal candidates. The venerable M16 has been standard issue in the U.S. Army since the Vietnam War. During the ensuing half century, the design has been updated and a shorter version, called the M4, entered Army service in 1997. Both rifles are effective weapons – as long as they’re kept clean.

Is the M16A4 still in the military?

The M16A4 is not completely gone; it will remain in the armories of some training and non-combat units in the Army and Marine Corps. It’s also possible that surplus rifles may be modified for other roles, such as designated marksmen rifles.

Which is more reliable the M16 or the M4?

Although both the M16 and the M4 have undergone upgrades, they are still considered less reliable and less able to withstand wear and tear than the Kalashnikov assault rifle. Indeed, Keane offered the blunt assessment that that the U.S. military simply has failed to keep up with changes in rifle technology.

When did the US Army replace the M4 carbine?

The Individual Carbine competition began in 2010 and sought to replace the M4 carbine in the US Army. The Army solicited manufacturers to submit rifles that provided accurate and reliable firepower, could be fired semi or fully-automatic, possessed integrated Picatinny rails, and was fully ambidextrous.