I’ve been thinking (it keeps me out of the pool halls.) Based on the criticism of the IAR in this thread and this one:
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=474728&page=3&highlight=IAR
…maybe the USMC needs/intends to reconfigure the infantry squads that exchange IARs for M249s.
I’ve read (all my info in this post is from reading) USMC infantry squads have 12 members (sometimes 13 when the squad leader is not one of the fire team leaders.) The squad is made up of 3 fire teams of 4 Marines apiece, armed as follows:
1. Fire team leader, M16 rifle w/ m203 grenade launcher and 7 mags (210 rounds.)
2. Marine Rifleman w/ M16 or M4 and 7 mags (210 rounds.)
3. Marine SAW Gunner w/ M249 and 5 belts (1000 rounds.)
4. Marine Rifleman w/ M16 of M4 and 7 mags (210 rounds.)
(Sometimes assistant SAW gunner, carrying ammo belts and spare barrels)
5. Fire team leader, M16 rifle w/ m203 grenade launcher and 7 mags (210 rounds.)
6. Marine Rifleman w/ M16 or M4 and 7 mags (210 rounds.)
7. Marine SAW Gunner w/ M249 and 5 belts (1000 rounds.)
8. Marine Rifleman w/ M16 of M4 and 7 mags (210 rounds.)
(Sometimes assistant SAW gunner, carrying ammo belts and spare barrels)
9. Fire team leader, M16 rifle w/ m203 grenade launcher and 7 mags (210 rounds.)
10. Marine Rifleman w/ M16 or M4 and 7 mags (210 rounds.)
11. Marine SAW Gunner w/ M249 and 5 belts (1000 rounds.)
12. Marine Rifleman w/ M16 of M4 and 7 mags (210 rounds.)
(Sometimes assistant SAW gunner, carrying ammo belts and spare barrels)
Maybe the new squad makeup, to have the same firepower as the above, should be:
1. Fire team leader, M16 rifle w/ m203 grenade launcher and 7 mags (210 rounds.)
2. Marine Rifleman w/ M16 or M4 and 7 mags (210 rounds.)
3. Marine Automatic Rifleman w/ IAR and 21 mags (630 rounds.)
4. Marine Automatic Rifleman w/ IAR and 21 mags (630 rounds.)
5. Fire team leader, M16 rifle w/ m203 grenade launcher and 7 mags (210 rounds.)
6. Marine Rifleman w/ M16 or M4 and 7 mags (210 rounds.)
7. Marine Automatic Rifleman w/ IAR and 21 mags (630 rounds.)
8. Marine Automatic Rifleman w/ IAR and 21 mags (630 rounds.)
9. Fire team leader, M16 rifle w/ m203 grenade launcher and 7 mags (210 rounds.)
10. Marine Rifleman w/ M16 or M4 and 7 mags (210 rounds.)
11. Marine Automatic Rifleman w/ IAR and 21 mags (630 rounds.)
12. Marine Automatic Rifleman w/ IAR and 21 mags (630 rounds.)
This is under the assumption that 6 IARs provide at least the firepower as the 3 M249s they replace. The 2 Automatic Riflemen in each fire team would work together to provide a base of fire, firing alternating bursts (“talking machine guns”.) Maybe one of them starts with a magazine ½ loaded so the 2 IARs do not have to reload at the same time. According the Feb 2009 Marine Corps Times:
http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2009/02/marine_newsaw_020109w/
… the “SAW…provides a sustained rate of fire of 85 rounds per minute.” And “The sustained rate of fire available in the…HK models is 12 to 15 rounds per minute, with a maximum effective rate of fire of… 75 rounds per minute for 600 rounds” So 2 Automatic Rifleman would carry the same 1200+/- rounds as the Saw Gunner and Assistant SAW gunner, and have close to the same fire rate for those 1200 rounds.
And the above squad reformation is based on the assumption the new IAR is light enough (maybe 11 lbs. loaded w/ bi-pod) to allow the Marine carrying it to fulfill the Rifleman role. With the M249s, 3 Marines in each squad are loaded down with 16.5 lbs weapon (empty) and 5 ammo belts that weight what? 3 lbs each? Having an Assistant SAW Gunner distributes this load between 2 men, but having 2 men with IARs and 600 rounds apiece reduces and distributes the total load better. This should allow the 12 men in the squad to move with equal speed against the lightly armed and fast moving insurgents they are now facing in 2 wars, without waiting for the 3 SAW gunners to catch up.