On 19 April 2022, the Army awarded a 10-year contract to SIG Sauer to produce the XM7 rifle, along with the XM250light machine gun, to replace the M4 carbine and M249 light machine gun, respectively.[13][14] Originally the rifle was designated the XM5, as the names were chosen as the next numbers sequentially to the weapons they will replace.[15] In January 2023, the Army announced it was changing the name of the rifle from XM5 to XM7 to avoid a trademark conflict with Colt'sM5 carbine.[16]
The first batch of 25 XM7s was planned to be delivered in late 2023. The Army plans to procure a total of 107,000 rifles for close combat forces including infantry, cavalry scouts, combat engineers, forward observers and combat medics. There are no plans initially to issue the weapons to non-close combat soldiers. The contract has the capacity to build additional weapons should the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Special Operations Command choose to be included.[15]
XM7s were delivered to soldiers in the 101st Airborne Division and 75th Ranger Regiment in September 2023 for user tests.[17] Operational testing of the XM7 rifle, XM250 light machine gun, and XM157 Fire Control Optic is set to begin in 2024 but does not guarantee actual widespread future issue.[18] If the XM7 is issued, it will drop the "X" in its name and become the M7.[16]
In March 2024, 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division officially began fielding the rifle.[9]
The XM7 rifle weighs 8.38 lb (3.80 kg), or 9.84 lb (4.46 kg) with a suppressor. It uses SR-25 pattern magazines that hold 20 rounds in a box magazine.[7] An optional 25-round box magazine is also available.[8] The proposed combat ammunition load for each soldier will be 140 total rounds, distributed across seven 20-round magazines, in total weighing 9.8 lb (4.4 kg). Compared to the M4A1 carbine weighing 6.34 lb (2.88 kg) unsuppressed, with a basic combat load of 210 rounds in seven 30-round magazines, in total weighing 7.4 lb (3.4 kg), the XM7 rifle weighs about 2 lb (0.91 kg) more and each soldier carries roughly a 4 lb (1.8 kg) heavier load with 70 fewer rounds.[3][19]
Referencesedit
^ abcdSouth, Todd (19 April 2022). "Army chooses Sig Sauer to build its Next Generation Squad Weapon". Army Times. Archived from the original on 18 May 2023. Retrieved 20 April 2022. The intermediate caliber 6.8mm cartridge falls between the 5.56mm, which is in the M4 and the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon, and the 7.62mm round in the M240 machine gun.
^Baca, Nathan (July 18, 2022). "The US Army's new assault rifle coming to local gun stores". WUSA. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
^ abBeynon, Steve (2 May 2022). . Military.com. Archived from the original on 30 May 2022.
^Moss, Matthew (16 May 2022). . The Firearm Blog. Archived from the original on 18 May 2022.
^"The Next Generation Has Arrived". SIG Sauer. 19 January 2022. from the original on 19 February 2023. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
^Popenker, Maxim. . Modern Firearms. Archived from the original on 4 June 2022.
^ ab. Lancer Systems. Archived from the original on 15 April 2023. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
^ ab. The Firearm Blog. Archived from the original on 10 May 2023. Retrieved 9 August 2023 – via Youtube.com. [SIG] runs 20 and 25-round [6.8] Lancers in [the SPEAR] currently, but... any 7.62 [NATO] magazine interfaces with it.
^ ab101st Airborne first Army unit to field Next Generation Squad Weapons. Army Times. 29 March 2024.
^Moss, Matthew (19 April 2022). . Overt Defense. Archived from the original on 20 April 2022. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
^Schogol, Jeff (19 April 2022). . Task & Purpose. Archived from the original on 31 May 2022. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
^Mizokami, Kyle (21 April 2022). . Popular Mechanics. Archived from the original on 31 May 2022. Retrieved 24 April 2022.
^Beynon, Steve (19 April 2022). "Army Picks Its Replacement for the M4 and SAW". Military.com. from the original on 20 May 2022. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
^"Army awards Next Generation Squad Weapon contract". U.S. Army. 19 April 2022. from the original on 31 May 2022.
^ abSmith, Todd (20 April 2022). "Army expects Next Generation Squad Weapon to get to its first unit by next year". Army Times. Archived from the original on 18 May 2023. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
^ abSouth, Todd (18 January 2023). "New name selected for Army's Next Generation Squad Weapon". Army Times. Archived from the original on 19 January 2023. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
^South, Todd (20 December 2023). "Army to field new rifle, machine gun and optic in 2024". Army Times. Archived from the original on 9 January 2024.
^Parsons, Dan (20 April 2022). "Here's Everything We Now Know About The Army's New Squad Rifles". The Drive. from the original on 30 May 2022. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
^Reinsch, Michael (13 May 2022). "NGSW signifies an evolution in Soldier lethality". U.S. Army. from the original on 16 July 2022.
rifle, redirects, here, other, uses, disambiguation, previously, known, army, variant, spear, 51mm, operated, magazine, assault, rifle, designed, sauer, next, generation, squad, weapon, program, 2022, replace, carbine, features, free, floating, reinforced, han. XM5 redirects here For other uses see XM 5 disambiguation The XM7 previously known as the XM5 is the U S Army variant of the SIG MCX Spear a 6 8 51mm 277 in gas operated magazine fed assault rifle 1 designed by SIG Sauer for the Next Generation Squad Weapon Program in 2022 to replace the M4 carbine The XM7 features a free floating reinforced M LOK handguard for direct accessory attachment to slotted hole mounting points XM7XM7 U S Army 6 8mm rifleTypeAssault rifle 1 2 Place of originUnited StatesService historyIn service2022 presentUsed byUnited States ArmyProduction historyDesigned2019ManufacturerSIG SauerSpecificationsMass8 38 lb 3 80 kg 3 9 84 lb 4 46 kg with suppressor 4 Length36 in 914 mm with suppressor Barrel length13 in 330 mm 5 Cartridge6 8 51mm 277 in ActionShort stroke gas operated piston rotating bolt 6 Muzzle velocity915 m s 3 002 ft s Feed system20 round detachable SR 25 pattern box magazine 7 25 round detachable SR 25 pattern box magazine 8 optional The XM7 began fielding in March 2024 9 Contents 1 History 2 Design 3 References 4 External linksHistory editIn January 2019 the United States Army began the Next Generation Squad Weapon Program to find replacements for the M4 carbine and M249 light machine gun In September 2019 SIG Sauer submitted its designs 10 The SIG Sauer MCX SPEAR the rifle s commercial designation is chambered in the 6 8 51mm 277 in SIG Fury cartridge in response to concerns that improvements in body armor would diminish the effectiveness of currently used ammunition such as the 5 56 45mm NATO for the M4 and M249 and 7 62 51mm NATO for M240 1 11 12 Army Times describes this as an intermediate caliber 6 8mm cartridge 1 nbsp An American soldier with an XM7 On 19 April 2022 the Army awarded a 10 year contract to SIG Sauer to produce the XM7 rifle along with the XM250 light machine gun to replace the M4 carbine and M249 light machine gun respectively 13 14 Originally the rifle was designated the XM5 as the names were chosen as the next numbers sequentially to the weapons they will replace 15 In January 2023 the Army announced it was changing the name of the rifle from XM5 to XM7 to avoid a trademark conflict with Colt s M5 carbine 16 The first batch of 25 XM7s was planned to be delivered in late 2023 The Army plans to procure a total of 107 000 rifles for close combat forces including infantry cavalry scouts combat engineers forward observers and combat medics There are no plans initially to issue the weapons to non close combat soldiers The contract has the capacity to build additional weapons should the U S Marine Corps and U S Special Operations Command choose to be included 15 XM7s were delivered to soldiers in the 101st Airborne Division and 75th Ranger Regiment in September 2023 for user tests 17 Operational testing of the XM7 rifle XM250 light machine gun and XM157 Fire Control Optic is set to begin in 2024 but does not guarantee actual widespread future issue 18 If the XM7 is issued it will drop the X in its name and become the M7 16 In March 2024 1st Battalion 506th Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division officially began fielding the rifle 9 Design edit nbsp Soldiers from Training and Doctrine Command with an XM7 rifle near and XM250 light machine gun far The XM7 rifle weighs 8 38 lb 3 80 kg or 9 84 lb 4 46 kg with a suppressor It uses SR 25 pattern magazines that hold 20 rounds in a box magazine 7 An optional 25 round box magazine is also available 8 The proposed combat ammunition load for each soldier will be 140 total rounds distributed across seven 20 round magazines in total weighing 9 8 lb 4 4 kg Compared to the M4A1 carbine weighing 6 34 lb 2 88 kg unsuppressed with a basic combat load of 210 rounds in seven 30 round magazines in total weighing 7 4 lb 3 4 kg the XM7 rifle weighs about 2 lb 0 91 kg more and each soldier carries roughly a 4 lb 1 8 kg heavier load with 70 fewer rounds 3 19 References edit a b c d South Todd 19 April 2022 Army chooses Sig Sauer to build its Next Generation Squad Weapon Army Times Archived from the original on 18 May 2023 Retrieved 20 April 2022 The intermediate caliber 6 8mm cartridge falls between the 5 56mm which is in the M4 and the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon and the 7 62mm round in the M240 machine gun Baca Nathan July 18 2022 The US Army s new assault rifle coming to local gun stores WUSA Retrieved February 17 2024 a b Beynon Steve 2 May 2022 How Well Do the Army s New Guns Perform That s Classified But Soldiers Will Carry More Weight Less Ammo Military com Archived from the original on 30 May 2022 Moss Matthew 16 May 2022 US Army Shares Details on Next Generation Squad Weapons The Firearm Blog Archived from the original on 18 May 2022 The Next Generation Has Arrived SIG Sauer 19 January 2022 Archived from the original on 19 February 2023 Retrieved 20 February 2023 Popenker Maxim SIG Sauer NGSW R MCX Spear XM5 assault rifle USA Modern Firearms Archived from the original on 4 June 2022 a b LANCER SYSTEMS L6SCM Lancer Systems Lancer Systems Archived from the original on 15 April 2023 Retrieved 1 May 2023 a b The Sig Sauer M5 NGSW Rifle a k a The MCX Spear The Firearm Blog Archived from the original on 10 May 2023 Retrieved 9 August 2023 via Youtube com SIG runs 20 and 25 round 6 8 Lancers in the SPEAR currently but any 7 62 NATO magazine interfaces with it a b 101st Airborne first Army unit to field Next Generation Squad Weapons Army Times 29 March 2024 Moss Matthew 19 April 2022 SIG Sauer Wins US Army Next Generation Squad Weapon Contract Overt Defense Archived from the original on 20 April 2022 Retrieved 20 April 2022 Schogol Jeff 19 April 2022 Army selects Sig Sauer to produce Next Generation Squad Weapon and ammo Task amp Purpose Archived from the original on 31 May 2022 Retrieved 20 April 2022 Mizokami Kyle 21 April 2022 The Army s Next Gen Infantry Weapons Will Be More Lethal and More Accurate Popular Mechanics Archived from the original on 31 May 2022 Retrieved 24 April 2022 Beynon Steve 19 April 2022 Army Picks Its Replacement for the M4 and SAW Military com Archived from the original on 20 May 2022 Retrieved 20 April 2022 Army awards Next Generation Squad Weapon contract U S Army 19 April 2022 Archived from the original on 31 May 2022 a b Smith Todd 20 April 2022 Army expects Next Generation Squad Weapon to get to its first unit by next year Army Times Archived from the original on 18 May 2023 Retrieved 29 May 2022 a b South Todd 18 January 2023 New name selected for Army s Next Generation Squad Weapon Army Times Archived from the original on 19 January 2023 Retrieved 20 January 2023 South Todd 20 December 2023 Army to field new rifle machine gun and optic in 2024 Army Times Archived from the original on 9 January 2024 Parsons Dan 20 April 2022 Here s Everything We Now Know About The Army s New Squad Rifles The Drive Archived from the original on 30 May 2022 Retrieved 30 April 2022 Reinsch Michael 13 May 2022 NGSW signifies an evolution in Soldier lethality U S Army Archived from the original on 16 July 2022 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to XM7 rifle SIG MCX Spear civilian version of XM7 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title XM7 rifle amp oldid 1222981216, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
