During AUSA I got to spend some time with a model of the Northrop Grumman Precision Grenadier System which is one of several counter defilade and counter UAS weapon systems currently being evaluated by the US Army.
They’ve been at this project longer than most with early experience during the XM25 Punisher program. A study undertaken years ago for OICW (which the XM25 was derived from) led them to the 25mm ammunition size. Others are using 30mm or even 40mm.
So far, they’ve developed rounds for air-bursting, proximity, close quarter battle as well as target practice and they produce them themselves.
I find the airburst round to be the most impressive. It is a programmable, dual-warhead high-explosive fragmenting round that can be fired in both airburst and point detonate. By dual-warhead they mean that there are explosive charges at both the front and rear of the warhead.
To arm the round, the target is lased (in this case with the XM157) using the middle button. The Grenadier can use the plus and minus buttons above and below the lase button to add or subtract a meter per detent to where the warhead will detonate. This, combined with the dual-warhead would allow for a round to detonate above an open trench or fighting position, or within a room of fired through a window, door, or breach.
The High Explosive Proximity incorporates a proximity sensor to identify and explosively fragment the projectile in-flight to defeat stationary or moving UAS. This round does not require programming.
The CQB round uses buckshot for trench clearing a close-in CUAS.
The training practice round is a marker similar to the 40mm ammunition used in the M320 and is ballistically matched to the 25mm HEAB and 25mm PROX rounds.
Is my understanding that the army is considering replacing the M3 20 grenade launchers in the squad with PGS and that PGS will be the Grenadier’s primary weapon.
Because they selected 25mm, Northrup Grumman offers three round as well as five round removable, box magazines.
Lastly, I’d like to mention that the weapon weighs in at just under 13 lbs empty and is ambidextrous in controls and ejection. There are ejection ports on either side and the weapon can configured to use either one. For charging, the black lever at the top is spring loaded and nonreciprocating. The shooter pulls it to either side and it snaps back onto the carry position once it is released.
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