The Future of Soldier’s Ammunition

Marksman, Sharpshooter, or Expert! Regardless of what rating you receive during individual weapons training and qualification. It is a basic fundamental of all soldiers. If you have been in the United States Army in the last three decades, you more than likely have completed the qualification using the 5.56mm center-fire ammunition cartridge. The complete round includes the cartridge case, bullet, propellant, and primer, fired from the individually assigned weapon. As a young soldier entering basic combat training, this may have been the first time you fired a weapon. Let alone, given ammunition to use the firearm.

Current Ammunition

The ammunition fired over the last three decades was the M193 first fired when the Army adopted the M16 rifle in 1967. Or the M855 round that replaced the M193 in 1982. While national stockpiles still survive of both rounds, replacement of the ammunition has long been underway to replace current stocks and making the rounds priority for training. In the last decade, in 2010, the Army introduced the Enhanced Performance Round (EPR), which dramatically improved hard target performance and provided a lead-free projectile—presenting the third round that has become familiar to a majority of soldiers. The ammunition makes up the larger portion of a soldier’s 210 rounds of combat load.  With the Department of Defense Identification Codes: A071, A059, and AB57, respectively.

Figure 1. M193, M855, and M855A1. Source: Twobirdflying Publication.

Next Generation Squad Weapons (NGSW)

The common feature of these rounds is the 5.56mm caliber which is far different than current prototyping effort for the United States Army’s new weapon system. The Next Generation Squad Weapons (NGSW) Program consists of a new rifle and automatic rifle with a standard 6.8mm cartridge. The variant of the 6.8mm round will be known as the XM1184. The prototyping for the weapons and ammunition has come down to three companies. The SIG SAUER system consisting of 6.8mm hybrid ammunition, True Velocity’s 6.8mm composite-cased cartridge, and Textron Systems 6.8mm cased telescope (CT) ammunition.

Figure 2. NGSW Weapons and Ammunition. Source: State of Guns.

Future Ammunition

The first and the most familiar include the company SIG SAUER 6.8mm hybrid ammunition. The ammunition is a three-piece metallic design with a 20% reduction in the overall cartridge and increased velocity over conventional ammunition. With a brass body on top of a possible steel base. While the SIG SAUER 6.8mm hybrid ammunition round was patent-pending technology. It so happens that SIG SAUER was able to use the two years of R&D with the cartridge for the military and introduce the round to the commercial market with the 277 SIG FURY.

Figure 3. SIG FURY hybrid case ammunition. Source: Recoil Gun Magazine.

The second, distinct but still familiar, is True Velocity Composite-Cased Ammunition. The 6.8 TVCM round is a 6.8mm composite cased round. This ammunition has a polymer body with a metal base. And the round offers a 30% reduction in weight over traditional brass-cased cartridges. Developed in 8 weeks but with ballistic data and specifications currently confidential.

Figure 4. 6.8 TVCM round. Source: True Velocity.

The third and least familiar round is the Textron Systems cased telescope (CT) ammunition. The round is a plastic polymer that surrounds the projectile. While Textron does not specify the 6.8, Textron Systems states that “cased-telescoped (CT) weapons and ammunition systems deliver improved maneuverability and performance at 40% less weight than currently fielded systems.”

Figure 5. 6.8 Cased Telescope (CT) ammunition. Source: Textron Systems.

Conclusion

In fiscal year FY21, the program will go into 2nd prototype testing with onward selection to one vendor and production decision. And in FY22, the military has planned new equipment fielding to units. The advantages for each round include increased performance and reduction in weight. The new ammunition also has drawbacks that include unestablished supply chains and a lack of robust manufacturers. The selection of the new ammunition will affect individual soldiers from those nearing the end of their careers to new soldiers entering basic training. But eventually, just as 30 years ago, soldiers qualified on the M16 with M193 round. The future warfighter will qualify with the new 6.8mm weapon system and ammunition. As soldiers, we must remember that the only constant in the military is change.