{"id":45155,"date":"2021-10-11T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-10-11T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2021\/10\/11\/the-armys-m4-m16-and-saw-replacement-is-on-its-way\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T03:55:37","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T03:55:37","slug":"the-armys-m4-m16-and-saw-replacement-is-on-its-way","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/land\/2021\/10\/11\/the-armys-m4-m16-and-saw-replacement-is-on-its-way\/","title":{"rendered":"The Army\u2019s M4, M16 and SAW replacement is on its way"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">WASHINGTON \u2014 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.armytimes.com\/news\/your-army\/2020\/11\/06\/the-army-is-looking-for-a-new-machine-gun-and-the-marines-might-get-a-new-caliber-too\/\" target=\"_blank\">Replacements <\/a>for the M4 carbine, the M16 and the M249 Squad Automatic <a href=\"https:\/\/www.armytimes.com\/news\/your-army\/2018\/10\/09\/major-changes-for-small-arms-are-on-the-way-with-the-armys-saw-replacement\/\" target=\"_blank\">Weapon <\/a>are on track to be in production in about a year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Next Generation Squad Weapon rifle and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.armytimes.com\/news\/your-army\/2020\/10\/14\/the-armys-saw-and-m4-replacement-is-headed-to-troops-by-2022\/?contentFeatureId=f0fmoahPVC2AbfL-2-1-8&#038;contentQuery=%7B%22section%22%3A%22%2Fhome%22%2C%22exclude%22%3A%22%2Fnews%2Fyour-army%22%2C%22from%22%3A5%2C%22size%22%3A10%7D\" target=\"_blank\">automatic rifle<\/a> are expected to be selected by mid-2022, Maj. Gen. Anthony Potts told Army Times before the Association of the U.S. Army\u2019s annual meeting.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/news\/your-army\/2020\/11\/06\/the-army-is-looking-for-a-new-machine-gun-and-the-marines-might-get-a-new-caliber-too\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Dismounted-patrol-machine-gunner-Army.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">The Army is looking for a new machine gun, and the Marines might get a new caliber, too<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">The study is expected to take until fall 2023 but could result in a whole new weapon, caliber combo.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It took a few years for the Army to decide on a caliber, but they ultimately chose the \u201cintermediate\u201d 6.8mm to replace the existing 5.56mm used in the M4, M16 and M249.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The 6.8mm is similar in size to the classic .270 caliber used in hunting and nearly the same dimensions as a popular intermediate caliber favored by the early 20th century Japanese military.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That caliber shows better performance, accuracy, lethality and control than the 5.56mm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"628\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Sig-Sauer-U.S.Army-Contract-NGSW.png.png\" alt=\"Sig Sauer selected by U.S. Army for Next Generation Weapons\" class=\"wp-image-85284\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Sig-Sauer-U.S.Army-Contract-NGSW.png.png 1200w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Sig-Sauer-U.S.Army-Contract-NGSW.png.png?resize=300,157 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Sig-Sauer-U.S.Army-Contract-NGSW.png.png?resize=768,402 768w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Sig-Sauer-U.S.Army-Contract-NGSW.png.png?resize=1024,536 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sig Sauer selected by U.S. Army for Next Generation Weapons<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The 5.56mm has a lethal range of about 300 meters, versus 600 meters for the new 6.8mm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThis is a weapon that could defeat any body armor, any planned body armor that we know of in the future,\u201d then-Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley said in 2019. \u201cThis is a weapon that can go out at ranges that are unknown today. There is a target acquisition system built into this thing that is unlike anything that exists today. This is a very sophisticated weapon.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The three companies vying for the contract to supply a new weapon to the Army\u2019s close combat forces, infantry, special operations forces, Marines and engineers are Sig Sauer, Textron Systems and an offering formerly from General Dynamics OTS now being handled by Lonestar Future Weapons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sig Sauer has built a weapon similar in style and feel to existing assault rifle configurations. Sig Sauer previously won the contract to replace the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps M9 pistol with the Modular Handgun System, or M17.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"361\" height=\"241\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/190911-A-IE830-IMG_5145-L-2.jpg.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-85285\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/190911-A-IE830-IMG_5145-L-2.jpg.jpg 361w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/190911-A-IE830-IMG_5145-L-2.jpg.jpg?resize=300,200 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 361px) 100vw, 361px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Textron&#8217;s NGSW-AR prototype, which could possibly replace the M249 in Army service (U.S. Army photo by Markeith Horace, Maneuver Center of Excellence, Fort Benning Public Affairs Office)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lonestar Future Weapons went with a bullpup design popular with some foreign militaries that puts the magazine well and feed behind the handgrip and trigger, keeping barrel length in a more compact package.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Textron Systems is relying on their caseless telescoped ammunition. It uses a polymer system where the bullet is encased, shortening the overall length but providing the same ballistic capabilities as standard brass casings at a reduced weight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">All three designs are suppressor capable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Each of the manufacturers initially had to supply 53 rifles and 43 automatic rifles, as well as 850,000 rounds of ammunition, for testing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1463\" height=\"823\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/GDOTS-NGSWAR-1.jpg.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-85287\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/GDOTS-NGSWAR-1.jpg.jpg 1463w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/GDOTS-NGSWAR-1.jpg.jpg?resize=300,169 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/GDOTS-NGSWAR-1.jpg.jpg?resize=768,432 768w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/GDOTS-NGSWAR-1.jpg.jpg?resize=1024,576 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1463px) 100vw, 1463px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">General Dynamics Ordnance &#038; Tactical Systems&#8217; NGSW-Automatic Rifle prototype at this year&#8217;s AUSA Annual Meeting (Photo Christian Lowe)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once selected, the winning company would be on an eight-year contract to produce roughly 120,000 total rifles and machine guns, according to budget documents. That would mean 40,000 in the initial batch at an estimated cost of $36 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Potts told Army Times that the soldier touch points and testing are complete and decision makers are now evaluating information gathered on all three company offerings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These rifles will first field to special operations forces and infantry, Stryker and armor brigade combat teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The M4 and M16 will continue to be produced for non-close combat troops.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Army now has to pick which vendor will build the weapon.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":26298,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_acf":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":14,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_smg_distribution_targets":[]},"categories":[78,29,14],"tags":[],"coauthors":[3481],"class_list":["post-45155","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ausa-digital-show-dailies","category-digital-show-dailies","category-land"],"acf":{"subheadline":"","legacy_arc_id":"4ZLZWH4JABEKFJCAWYIEI6RUT4","arc_canonical_url":"\/news\/2021\/10\/11\/the-armys-m4-m16-and-saw-replacement-is-on-its-way\/","remove_feature_photo":false,"is_sponsored":false,"subtype":"","redirect_url":"","disable_inline_ads":false,"native_logo_pretext":"Presented By:"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.0 (Yoast SEO v28.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>The Army\u2019s M4, M16 and SAW replacement is on its way - Defense News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The Army now has to pick which vendor will build the weapon.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Army\u2019s M4, M16 and SAW replacement is on its way\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The Army now has to pick which vendor will build the weapon.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/land\/2021\/10\/11\/the-armys-m4-m16-and-saw-replacement-is-on-its-way\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" 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