FORT BLISS, Texas – No matter where Soldiers are deployed, from the jungles of the Pacific to the deserts of the Middle East, the performance of their weapons and gear is paramount. Given the U.S. Army’s extensive history of operating in harsh, arid environments, it’s essential that the Next Generation Squad Weapons (NGSW) system be rigorously tested under extreme heat conditions.
In the desert heat of Fort Bliss, TX, where temperatures averaged over 100?F, Project Manager Soldier Lethality (PM SL) and the Army Test and Evaluation Command (ATEC) conducted the Hot Weather Test for the M7 Rifle, M250 Automatic Rifle, and XM157 Fire Control. Supported by Soldiers from the 1st Armored Division, the team spent weeks performing various tests, including New Equipment Training, weapons qualification, tactical vehicle ingress/egress drills, and a 72-hour Force-on-Force exercise.
“Throughout these exercises, we closely monitored Soldiers’ feedback, focusing on the weapon systems’ suitability, reliability, and maintainability in desert conditions,” explained Maj. Mark Fischbach, Assistant Program Manager for Soldier Weapons. “Soldiers also provided valuable input on how the weapons performed in practical, real-world scenarios.”
During the exercises, the evaluators also focused on ingress and egress drills from the Bradley Fighting Vehicle (BFV) and the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV). Soldiers, especially mounted infantry, must be able to enter and exit these vehicles with their weapons and gear intact in order to remain lethal.
The successful trials in the harsh desert environment underscore the NGSW’s ability to meet the demands of future warfare, offering Soldiers a more reliable, lethal, and adaptable weapon system. The NGSW Desert Test is one in a series of environmental tests that includes arctic, desert, and tropic.
The M7 Rifle and M250 Automatic Rifle are the successors to the M4A1 Carbine and M249 Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW) respectively. Both weapons utilize the XM157 Fire Control, a 1-8x variable magnification optic with a number of advanced technologies integrated into the optic, and the 6.8mm family of ammunition. The NGSW provides Soldiers significantly more accuracy, range, and lethality beyond legacy weapon systems capabilities.
The NGSW is currently being fielded to Units across the Close Combat Force (CCF).
By Garrett Dacko
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