FN America (FNA) is previewing an entirely new weapon system unlike anything you have seen at the 2023 SHOT Show in Las Vegas, called the Lightweight Intermediate Caliber Cartridge (LICC) Individual Weapon System (IWS), it has four purpose-built components:

• Lightweight ammunition family
• Improved Performance Carbine
• 25-round purpose-built, polymer magazine
• Signature Suppressor

All of these components were designed and purpose built specifically for this program, including the rifle, which was developed entirely from the ground up by FNA in Columbia, South Carolina. So far, FNA has not assigned the weapon a moniker aside from its program name. Additionally, the program added a belt-fed Assault Machine Gun.

IWS is chambered in the LICC, a .264 (6.5 x 43mm) round which was initially developed by the US Army Marksmanship Unit (AMU), Fort Benning, GA and optimized by FNA’s team.

Here’s an interesting aside regarding the naming of the cartridge. While under development by the AMU, the cartridge was referred to as .264 USA. As the ammunition underwent development, the working name was altered to .264 International in honor of the Allied partner co-sponsoring and co-funding the program. Eventually, the team settled on a simplified .264 as the path forward.

FNA developed the weapons and ammunition under a U.S. Government competitive RDT&E contract awarded by the Irregular Warfare Technology Support Directorate (IWTSD), a government office, which is responsible for conducting research and development in support of U.S. and allied organizations involved in Irregular Warfare. Although this includes Special Operations Forces (SOF), there is a variety of other government agencies with IW responsibilities who share mutual needs within this realm. IWTSD works with academia and industry to develop new advanced capabilities. Originally known as the Combating Terrorism Technical Support Office (CTTSO), the name was changed to IWTSD, under the Assistant Secretary of Defense Special Operations / Low Intensity Conflict (ASD SO/LIC) in 2021.

For the LICC IWS effort, FNA leads a best in class industry team consisting of four ammunition manufacturers, one magazine designer and manufacturer, and one suppressor designer and manufacturer.

The very name of the program is straight out of a 2016 briefing presented to NDIA’s Armament Systems Forum by IWTSD’s SME Jim Schatz entitled “A Path to Overmatch: Next Generation Individual Weapon System” in which he envisioned a new weapon firing a lightweight cartridge in .264 or .277.

In January 2018, IWTSD published their annual Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) for a variety of new required technologies. One of those was LICC IWS. The BAA called for a carbine chambered in .264 USA with the C8 carbine as a baseline as Canada SOF is a full partner in this endeavor. The goal was to provide overmatch against emerging great power competitors and future threats.

On 19 August 2019, a contract was awarded to FNA and work began. The team evaluated the government’s requirement and realized something completely new was required.

To achieve the weight savings they were aiming for, the team evaluated a variety of cartridge types, ultimately settling on a two-piece, lightweight steel design with stainless steel head and case body.

This seemed like an odd choice to many. FNA related that …“stainless steel performs differently than what was initially expected with a new lightweight cartridge. As an industry, we understand how brass cartridges perform and behave in the weapon chamber. We learned lightweight cartridges behave differently, outside normal expectations. We had to understand the science of the cartridge technology and use its characteristics to produce efficiencies and performance improvements that are superior to brass”… said Peter Kurupas, FNA Program Manager for Infantry Weapons and LICC IWS/AMG.

Ultimately, the new advanced cartridge presents reliable chambering and extraction with nominal chamber pressures and high muzzle velocities.

Additionally, accuracy is consistently two times better than the M4A1 while shooting on the flat range.

When .264 USA was first envisioned, a big selling point was that it could be fired from an AR-15 sized receiver set. Unfortunately, like .224 Valkyrie, 6mm ARC and other similar-sized cartridges, .264 is on the outer limits of effective use in the M4 carbine. Worse still, between the size of the cartridge and size of the magazine well, there is no room for the increased wall thickness of a polymer magazine.  It was obvious a new purpose built receiver and magazine would be required.

Upon contract award, FNA began to analyze the challenge before them. They had a clean sheet of paper and the perfect conditions to create something new and higher performing.

Starting with the ammunition, the entire approach was a collaboration between IWTSD, US & CANADA SOF, AMU and FNA to establish the overall cartridge shape, capacity and performance.

A crucial component, a key industry partner developed a purpose-built magazine for the .264 cartridge fired by IWS. When loaded with 25 rounds of lightweight ammunition, it is equivalent in weight to a 30-round Magpul P-Mag loaded with 5.56mm ammunition.

As far as the weapon was concerned, something new had to be developed and quickly.

Obviously, the COVID-19 pandemic affected the timeline of the program just as it did across all of DoD’s modernization efforts. However, within 60 days, they had a design concept and drawings. Two months later, a printed 3D model was available for government inspection. Two months more and a printed metal version was offered and live fire tested. By December 2020, IWTSD accelerated the program.

The resulting design is something akin to an AR-12.5 in size, which seems to be the “Goldilocks” size for intermediate calibers. The AR-15 magazine well is a bit too small and the AR-10 platform is overkill, adding unneeded size and weight. However, if you are comfortable with a Stoner pattern rifle, when you pick up IWS, you will feel right at home although a few of the ambidextrous controls are a little different, including charging handle operation. Additionally, although it is a two-piece, upper and lower receiver design, it breaks down a bit differently.

IWS utilizes a long stroke piston operating system, which is something you don’t see as often in new weapons these days. This is paired with a three-lug bolt face for strength. Additionally, the weapon is designed to run without any adjustments, in both suppressed and unsuppressed conditions, due to the self-regulating gas block.

IWS is available in three field interchangeable configurations: 11.5” Close Quarters Battle (CQB), 14.5” Carbine, and 18.5” Recce (Designated Marksmanship Rifle) with the various versions weighing between 7 and 9 pounds, empty.

Features include:

• Full Ambidextrous Controls
• FN developed two-stage select fire precision trigger system
• Ambidextrous Bolt Catch and Release system
• Long stroke piston operating system
• Self-regulating gas block assembly
• Self-contained operating group
• Non-reciprocating charging handle system
• Continuous 12-o’clock hand guard one-piece Picatinny rail
• Operator selectable left and right side folding stock system
• Fire with stock folded capability
• Quick detachable and install stock assembly
• Multiple Quick Detachment points and MLOK handguard cap ability
• Single lever takedown for rapid field strip

So far, FNA has made 40 changes to the individual weapon based on government feedback and direct interaction with tactical unit operators throughout regularly scheduled Soldier Touch Points.  For instance, last summer, IWS underwent a User Acceptance Testing and Performance live fire Evaluation at Fort Benning, GA hosted by AMU with U.S. and Canada SOF participating.

Firing IWS on full-auto reminded me of firing a belt-fed machine gun. There was a solid recoil impulse to be sure but it was very controllable thanks to the how the design deals with recoil and the firing rate was a comfortable “chugga, chugga, chugga” I was comfortable with. In semi-auto fire, recoil was more of a push than a snap thanks to the operating system and two mechanical mechanisms incorporated to mitigate recoil.

The LICC Assault Machine Gun (AMG) being concurrently developed with IWS, is a modified version of FN’s new EVOLYS machine gun designed specifically for use with .264. Results from prototype testing show the AMG is more accurate than the Mk48 in full auto mode. FNA is also developing an alternative to the current Mk13 link. The lightweight link system currently in development is set for testing in 2Q FY 2023.

Although the BAA requirements document discussed a polymer cased .264, then under development, the FN team down selected and proposed a high performing stainless steel case design. It is designed to reduce the carried weight by 20% compared to equivalent brass cartridges, while achieving improved results in accuracy and performance over current fielded ammunition.

In addition to the more than two times increase in accuracy over the M4 carbine, testers observed nearly 70% more impact energy and lethality over the M4, while maintaining handling with a system lighter than 8.0 lbs.

.264 is already delivering energy on target, but they’ve still got room for growth with capacity to handle pressures greater than SAAMI 6.5mm Creedmoor.

Cartridge types include Reduced Ricochet Limited Penetration Ammunition (Non-Toxic Primer) for training purposes and a monolithic ballistic match ammunition family.

Although this is an R&D program, it is delivering a weapon system, including multiple ammunition types, which could rapidly be put into service and offer distinct advantages over currently fielded systems.

This Summer, FN America will deliver 55 LICC IWS in three configurations as well as, a limited number of assault machine guns and thousands of rounds of ammunition to the U.S. and Canadian governments. Already, organizations are lined up to evaluate these new advanced systems.

The IWTSD LICC IWS & LICC AMG contracts have capacity and allow for a second optional delivery in Fall 2023 for First Article Testing, an initial step in a transition pathway to large scale procurement.

One of IWTSD’s primary co-sponsors of this program is CANSOF and they’ll be receiving weapons and ammunition as well. Other foreign partners are keen on checking out these new capabilities.

LICC IWS & AMG will be on display in FN America’s booth at SHOT Show at booth #11860. Meetings are available for qualified representatives.