Army Interim Combat Service Rifle RFP releases.

[NYH1]

LSAT is coming, it only makes sense.

Textron has been working on this, but it always seemed to me like it was another dead-end project:

http://www.textronsystems.com/what-w...r-systems/LSAT

I saw on modern weapons on something like that a few years ago, pretty much the same video in the link (just more of it) comparing the LSAT to the SAW. Then heard nothing more. Kind of always wondered what ever happened to the LSAT.

NYH1.

[BrigandTwoFour]

TFB has been following the LSAT program pretty closely.

http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/tag/renamed-lsat/

Trend seems to be moving towards a 6.5mm based cartridge, which will be heavier than 5.56 but lighter than 7.62, while far outperforming both. The problem is the increased weight of the base weapon, which looks like 9.2 lbs for the carbine version (as compared to the 6.5 lb base weight of the M4A1).

I don't know if this ends up being the way things go, but it does look the furthest along for replacing current weapons. It's the best example out there of a new cartridge and rifle being developed together rather than shoehorning a different cartridge into a rifle that wasn't originally designed for it.

[Slater]

Given the history of US small arms development and procurement, I'm not terribly optimistic.

[mig1nc]

The TFB interview series on LSAT is a great read. I've been following that as well.

The current LSAT weight hasn't been optimized yet, it's just a prototype housing basically.

While the round is also not optimized yet (they use the same telescoping case as the 7.62), it likely will always be heavier than 5.56mm brass cased. Once all is said and done, the weight increase shouldn't be too bad.

They also have a brass base/polymer cased .264 USA under development, hedging their bets against LSAT.

I'm waiting with baited breath to see a SCAR-H with a .264USA conversion kit. I would almost bet money that one exists as some top secret prototype somewhere.

[titsonritz]

Guess not after all...

BREAKING: Army 7.62mm Rifle Program CANCELLED – ICSR is No*More

[pinzgauer]

Reports of it's death greatly exaggerated:

https://kitup.military.com/2017/09/i...bat-rifle.html

TFB gets it wrong, again

I'm not a fan of the concept nor are any active serving military that I know. Simply does not solve a problem that they have, and makes existing problems worse.