Marines to test, evaluate 4 auto-rifle models

[unhappycamper]

A Marine with Company I, 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, provides security with an M249 Squad Automatic Weapon on Dec. 8 in Helmand province, Afghanistan.


Marines to test, evaluate 4 auto-rifle models
By Dan Lamothe - Staff writer
Posted : Monday Feb 2, 2009 5:56:30 EST

MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. — Like it or not, it’s coming.

The Corps is moving forward with plans to test replacements for the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon, and will receive initial deliveries this spring, Marine officials said.

The Infantry Automatic Rifle could be fielded as early as October 2010, said Maj. John Smith, the weapon’s project officer at Marine Corps Systems Command in Quantico, Va. Testing is expected to begin in April on four finalists competing for the contract, with Camp Pendleton, Calif.-based 1st Marine Division involved in the process.

“It’ll be fleet Marines that are testing it,” Smith said. “We’ll be collecting data and getting feedback from Marines. All of could meet our needs, but we need to dig a little deeper and get the input on what the average Marine thinks.”

The push to include Marines in the process hasn’t stopped grumbling across the Corps. Many grunts question the wisdom of reducing the number of SAWs, light machine guns with a 5.56mm, 200-round belt that allows Marines to unleash a tremendous volume of fire when threatened. The IAR will employ the same 5.56mm, 30-round magazine used with the Corps’ main service weapons, the M16A4 rifle and M4 carbine.


Rest of article at: http://marinecorpstimes.com/news/2009/02/marine_newsaw_020109w/%2e