Cosmoline
October 27, 2003, 07:30 PM
This was interesting:
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October 27, 2003
The Department of Defense has announced that it is scraping the controversial Objective Individual Combat Weapon system phase III in favor of a streamlined model. The OICW Phase III, developed after years of expensive research, was an over-under system including both 20mm cannon and a standard 5.56mm assault rifle. The sytstem ran into problems from the first tests on. Most users complained of intense recoil from the 20mm cannon. The recoil was so intense that it actually blew off the rifle's components in some tests. Tests also revealed weaknesses in the computer-driven sight system. Concerns in Congress have been raised about the high per-unit costs and the delays in bringing it to operation in time to begin replacing the aging stock of M-16A2 assault rifles. Moreover, it was becoming apparent that the computer technology being used in the system would not interface well with the DOD's interactive Land Warrior Combat System (LWCS).
The new Phase IV weapons system bridges the gap between the extremes of the 5.56 NATO cartridge and the powerful 20mm by adopting a wholly new 11.43mm projectile. In addition, the Phase IV system utilizes an innovative user-controlled loading system to eliminate feeding problems found in the OICW Phase III. It will also be lighter and have a much longer sight radius for improved aiming without the need for high-tech devices which might fail under adverse conditions. Initial tests show the new system can hit targets beyond one mile with consistent accuracy. Phase IV OICW has only a few moving parts, compared with the literally hundreds of complex parts and computer chips in Phase III. Test revealed that it could actually be beaten against the ground repeatedly with no marked damage. Similar tests on Phase III caused the system to fly into pieces.
The military hopes to have the new system operational by 2005 and will equip the first units with it by the end of that year.
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October 27, 2003
The Department of Defense has announced that it is scraping the controversial Objective Individual Combat Weapon system phase III in favor of a streamlined model. The OICW Phase III, developed after years of expensive research, was an over-under system including both 20mm cannon and a standard 5.56mm assault rifle. The sytstem ran into problems from the first tests on. Most users complained of intense recoil from the 20mm cannon. The recoil was so intense that it actually blew off the rifle's components in some tests. Tests also revealed weaknesses in the computer-driven sight system. Concerns in Congress have been raised about the high per-unit costs and the delays in bringing it to operation in time to begin replacing the aging stock of M-16A2 assault rifles. Moreover, it was becoming apparent that the computer technology being used in the system would not interface well with the DOD's interactive Land Warrior Combat System (LWCS).
The new Phase IV weapons system bridges the gap between the extremes of the 5.56 NATO cartridge and the powerful 20mm by adopting a wholly new 11.43mm projectile. In addition, the Phase IV system utilizes an innovative user-controlled loading system to eliminate feeding problems found in the OICW Phase III. It will also be lighter and have a much longer sight radius for improved aiming without the need for high-tech devices which might fail under adverse conditions. Initial tests show the new system can hit targets beyond one mile with consistent accuracy. Phase IV OICW has only a few moving parts, compared with the literally hundreds of complex parts and computer chips in Phase III. Test revealed that it could actually be beaten against the ground repeatedly with no marked damage. Similar tests on Phase III caused the system to fly into pieces.
The military hopes to have the new system operational by 2005 and will equip the first units with it by the end of that year.