Army’s New Machine Gun “Blasts Like Battle Tank”

Meet the Next Generation Squad Automatic Rifle (NGSAR), which may replace nearly 80,000 M249 SAWs. The Army’s latest weapon is so light and powerful that it “will put M1 Abrams Main Battle Tank-style blasting power literally at the fingertips of U.S. soldiers,” reports Fox News.

Design to stop threats equipped with advanced body armor from up to 2,000 feet away, the NGSAR’s chamber pressure is similar to the levels found in battle tanks (between 60 and 80 KSI).

The current M249 SAW weighs about 17 lbs empty, but the new NGSAR will weigh just 12 lbs. A new round between 6.5mm and 6.8mm is expected to weigh 20% less than rounds with traditional brass cases.

Overall size has been further reduced. With the buttstock collapsed, the NGSAR will measure 35″ or less. The rate of fire is around 60 rpm with a 3-round burst option for up to 15 minutes without a barrel change.

Take a closer look at this new weapon with the video below,