Monday New Stuff

First up- Jeff LPH sends that per the Army Times there’s new rats for the troops. Supposedly they they have trimmed down the size and weight of the ration packs so troops can carry 5 day’s worth of rations where they formerly carried 3.

The CCAR will replace the First Strike Ration and has a 39% reduction in volume and a 17% reduction in weight. That means a soldier can carry five days’ worth of nutrition in a three-day footprint.

The Army designed the ration to support small units during operations in austere environments where they needed to self-sustain for 7 to 10 days with limited or no resupply, according to an Army release. Army Times

I am sure I am not the only one noticing that indeed, carrying 5 packs of meals 61% the size is pretty much like 3 of the old ones. Note, however, the weight – 83% the weight means 5 day’s worth is over a third heavier than the 3. Not a huge increase in weight…I am sure you small unit infantry guys are eager to hump even heavier packs, right?

Smaller and lighter is better, to be sure. But we all know the Army tends to think “it’s just a little more” till the troops are carrying more weight than the classic Army mule. At least they can console themselves that it ain’t C’s.

Next up (again h/t to Jeff) the Army is starting to look for a replacement for the M240 7.62 NATO machine gun.

The replacement program, dubbed the Future Medium Machine Gun, or FMMG, is aimed to replace the M240B — which has been in service since the late 70s — for dismounted troops.

“The FMMG is a belt-fed, crew-served, direct-fire weapon system that will enable the rifle platoon to organically suppress and destroy enemy personnel targets and maintain operational tempo,” the Army wrote in its budget documents. “The FMMG will provide increased lethality and capability to the warfighter compared to present machine gun technologies fielded to operational units.”

The $3.6 billion figure encompasses research, development, acquisition and contract award costs.  Army Times II

The M240 was a few pounds heavier than its predecessor, the M60 (aka “Pig”) which was famously one-handed by bulging-bicepped Stallone and Ah-nuld. The 240’s main claim to fame was in reliability – it cost more, it weighed more, but its mean time between failures (MTBF) was several times higher than an M-60’s. Both the M240 and M60  are  chambered in the NATO-standard 7.62×51. Presumably the replacement would be chambered in the new 6.8 infantry rifle round for commonality of ammo supply. The new round has drawn some less-than-complimentary reviews, usually in comparison to the ammo load-out of the older 5.56 rounds, but also (and more relevantly) for premature barrel erosion due to the much-higher chamber pressures at which the 6.8 operates – up to 85,000 psi compared to the normal 60,000+ psi of 5.56 or 7.62 rounds. One can hope that with modern materials a lighter, cheaper (the M240 is $6,600 a copy) machine gun can be made (but we all know it won’t be.)

And on a totally unrelated note – presumably Pogacar has won the Tour de France for the 4th time by the time you read this – one interesting note to this year’s Tour. On Stage 17 some idiot wheeled his bike out onto the course in an attempt to ride across the stage finishing line before the real winners arrived. Wanting to make a scene? Cause a little chaos? Doesn’t like Lycra? Who knows (or even cares) – BUT:  He did that, and got arrested, on July 23. I read that on Friday the 25th he got an 8-month suspended sentence and a ban from any sporting event for a year. TWO DAYS to try and sentence him… who says there is nothing the French do right. Here he’d still be awaiting trial till after the next Inauguration Day.

 

Category: "Your Tax Dollars At Work", Army News