I got some hands on time with an example of FN America‘s new Multi-purpose Tactical Launcher 30mm (MTL-30), one of several designs vying to become the US Army’s Precision Grenadier System, a semi-auto, box magazine fed grenade launcher with programmable bursting munitions.
The Army’s requirement was caliber agnostic and FN engineers chose 30mm as their “Goldilocks” caliber to achieve the desired effects. The medium velocity rounds produce 45 ft lbs of recoil and shoot pretty flat. With under 3 seconds time of flight to 300 meters, the max elevation for the ammunition is 11m out to 500m.
It features a detachable box magazine with 3- or 5-round capacity. At just 35 inches in length and 8.5 inches tall, the weapon weighs just over 10 lbs. The bolt catch, magazine release and safety selector are all ambidextrous, plus there is an M4-style telescoping buttstock with a modular cheek riser. The modular rail system has a contiguous top rail for mounting of visual augmentation systems (VAS) and other devices, plus side M-LOK slots with a MIL-STD Picatinny rail.
Ammunition is from Nostromo LLC and includes High Explosive Air Burst, Counter-UAS, and Training rounds.
Finally, mag pouches have been developed.
My intuition tells me the USAPGS will be won by those platforms proposing calibers above 25mm.
Pezo fuzed ammo? The restrictions on explosive payload and thus lethality of 40mm has always been restricted by the fuzing type.
Any indication of Grenade (warhead not complete round) weight?
Google says the XM25 round was 108g, current 40x46mm is 180-185g, and the new Rheinmetall 40x51mm Medium Velocity is 230g.
Curious how the new 30mm stacks up, and whether it will have enough bang.
Needs a suppressor.
They’re working on one.
That looks fantastic. I wonder if FN will adapt this to the RWS?