NEWINGTON, N.H., (April 20, 2022) – SIG SAUER is honored to be awarded the Next Generation Squad Weapons System (NGSW) Contract by the U.S. Army after a rigorous 27-month testing and evaluation process.
“The U.S. Army is taking a bold step toward command of the 21st century battlefield and SIG SAUER is immensely proud to be the selected provider for this historic revolution in infantry weapons. The fielding of the SIG SAUER Next Generation Squad Weapons System will forever change the dynamic of military engagement for America’s warfighters with American innovation and manufacturing,” began Ron Cohen, President and CEO SIG SAUER, Inc.
The SIG FURY Hybrid Ammunition (6.8 Common Cartridge), SIG-LMG (XM250), SIG MCX-SPEAR Rifle (XM5) and SIG SLX Suppressors meaningfully advance soldier weapons technology to meet the emerging requirements of the U.S. Army.
The SIG 6.8×51 FURY Hybrid Ammunition uses a patented lightweight metallic case designed to handle pressures higher than conventional ammunition, resulting in dramatically increased velocity and on-target energy in lighter weapons.
The SIG-LMG lightweight belt-fed machine gun and SIG MCX-SPEAR Rifle are purpose-built to harness the energy of the SIG FURY 6.8 Common Cartridge Ammunition enabling greater range and increased lethality while reducing the soldier’s load on the battlefield. Both the SIG-LMG and MCX-SPEAR deliver significant weapon and technology advancements to the soldier and provide a solution for battlefield overmatch in comparison to the current M249 and M4/M4A1.
The U.S. Army’s procurement of the NGSW System marks the beginning of an era where combat weapons are coupled with a suppressor as standard issue equipment. The SIG SLX Suppressors are designed to reduce harmful gas backflow, sound signature and flash. SIG SLX Suppressors feature a patented quick detach design for easy install and removal.
“We commend U.S. Army leadership for having the vision to undertake this historic procurement process to deliver a transformational weapon system to our warfighters. This award is the culmination of a successful collaboration between SIG SAUER and the U.S. Army, and we look forward to the continuing partnership,” concluded Cohen.
SIG SAUER is a company that is driven by innovation and we are proud to offer the advancements of the NGSW System in the SIG 277 FURY Hybrid Ammunition (the commercial variant of the SIG 6.8×51 FURY Ammunition round), SIG MCX-SPEAR Rifle, and the SIG SLX Series of Suppressors available to the consumer. For more information about these products visit sigsauer.com.
So other than being chambered in 6.8, what does the XM5 offer that the M110A1 couldn’t?
Swapping the barrel and adding a law folder, aren’t you pretty much there?
First off, H&K hasn’t committed to chambering 6.8 and the Army hasn’t brought it up. Second, H&K teamed with Textron and they dropped out. Third, you can’t continue to fire an M110A1 after the first round with the stock folded.
Was the ability for multiple shots fired from the folded position part of the requirements?
The MCX/SPEAR is also much more modular. You can change barrels/calibers, handguards, stocks, etc. in minutes by the end-user. And you’re not restricted to buffer tube-based stocks either.
Nobody cares about H&K. Including the gov
I feel like your third point is the most valid. I’m sure HK would work past the HK/Textron issue, if Big Green asked them to re-barrel to 6.8. That is just my thoughts on the issue…
Quite possible, but with this program I don’t think there will be anymore SDMRs in the Army unless these become SDMRs and the Squad retains its M4s.
It is a bit of a brain bender that we’re wrapping up the fielding of a new 7.62mm NATO SDMR program just as the NGSW program comes along based on a rather similar platform running a cartridge that offers better ballistics than 7.62 NATO, and with a new sight that effectively turns every other rifle in the squad into an SDMR…
The SDMR was a directed requirement from the CSA as a stop gap in the Squad until NGSW is fielded. Unfortunately, it’s taken over four years.
So. . . no polymer cased ammo?
Each NGSW performer developed their own ammo. Sig was working with a bi-metal case. Apparently it runs at like 80k PSI.
General Dynamics/True Velocity were the ones working with a polymer case.
Then Textron had the funky ammunition. If you look at the following photo, the ammunition from left to right is Textron, Sig, and General Dynamics.
https://asc.army.mil/web/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Different_Cartridges-1536×1385.jpg
No
Any word yet on what bullet loading will be used? The commercial 277 is a 135gr and 140gr, but I’m sure the Army will want something similar to the current EPR rounds.
The projectile is supplied by the government.
Sorry to play 20 questions, but have we seen the Gov projectile yet?
Congrats to Sig! One point of contention though, isn’t a relatively useful part of NATO being simplified supply lines, i.e. everyone (generally) needing 5.56? Doesn’t this program really screw that up in the long term if the largest contributor uses unique ammunition.
Earliest delivery for some of the 10% of Maximum total is 2023 so it will be a while before the XM5 and the XM250 reaches the saturation point necessary to really effect NATO interoperability.
Not really that big a hurdle. The DOD will still be issuing M4 carbines to US troops from all services for at least another 2 decades. What the army seems to be doing is looking to replace M249, and shift M4A1 back to what M4 was supposed to be, a PDW. So US stocks of 5.56NATO will still be around. I think I read that the UK and Canada are supposed to be launching small arms modernization programs in the near future anyway so it’s possible that this might be NATO standardized by the end of the decade.
Also Australia has a program to investigate a 6.8mm upsized F90/AUG.
It’s not just the F90. SIG is under consideration as well.
Just personal opinion but that Thales rifle looks more like the battle rifle from halo. Which I think is basically how concepts for military modernization are being done these days. The General sitting at home watching his grandkids playing halo well he takes notes and asks questions.
Here in Australia, we’re not part of NATO, but still adopted 5.56. Thales who holds the contracts for most of our small arms is already a concept for a 6.8 rifle with development underway.
https://www.thalesgroup.com/en/australia/news/thales-developing-new-68mm-close-combat-weapon
The rifle weighs 8.4 lbs without optic?
Yeah, it fires a 6.8 x 51 cartridge, full auto.
SIG is an amazing quality Corporation. Used by many law enforcement agencies and military. It is for reason. Their design and engineering is simply excellence. They simply truly deliver the systems for job No. #1
So no more intermediate cartridge.
The 6.8 is considered intermediate. It’s smaller than 7.62 and bigger than 5.56.