Difference between revisions of "XM307 Advanced Crew Served Weapon"

Latest revision as of 21:05, 1 July 2010

XM307 Advanced Crew Served Weapon
300px Typical operation routine
Place of origin	United States
Production history
Manufacturer	(Prime Contractor) General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products
Variants	XM312
Specifications
Weight	50 lbs (22.7 kg) (Gun, mount, and fire control)
Length	52.2" (132.8 cm)
Crew	2 men
Caliber	25x59mm
Action	Gas operated, rotating bolt
Rate of fire	250 rounds per minute
Effective range	Lethal and Suppressive out to 2,187.2 yd (2,000 m)
Maximum range	3,937 yd (3,600 m)
Feed system	Weapon-Mountable Ammunition Can (Left Feed), belt fed
Sights	Grenade Launcher: computerized with viewfinder Machine Gun: fixed rear iron

The XM307 Advanced Crew Served Weapon (ACSW) was a developmental 25 mm belt-fed Grenade Machine Gun with smart shell capability. It is the result of the OCSW or Objective Crew Served Weapon project. It is lightweight and designed to be two-man portable, as well as vehicle mounted. The XM307 can kill or suppress human beings out to 2,000 metres (2,187 yd), and destroy lightly armored vehicles, watercraft, and helicopters at 1,000 metres (1,094 yd). The project was canceled in 2007.^[1]

Overview

The system was under development by General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products for the U.S. Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM). As a part of the Small Arms Master Plan (SAMP) program, it is intended to either replace or supplement the Mk19 automatic grenade launcher and the M2 heavy machine gun. It fires 25 mm point-detonating and air burst style ammunition, including HE, and HEAT at a cyclic rate of 260 rounds per minute and has an effective range up to 2 kilometers.^[2]

The primary advantage of the XM307 is its attenuated recoil system. The weapon controls recoil to a degree that a large tripod and heavy sandbags are not required to effectively employ this weapon. Because of its reduced recoil impulse and light weight, other mounting options are possible, such as small unmanned vehicles and aircraft. The XM307's airburst rounds make it much easier to bypass walls protecting enemies that could cause collateral damage if fired upon directly. Operators do not have to shoot through the wall, just through an opening or over the top to kill the people behind the cover, leaving the structure of the building intact. An additional advantage of the XM307 is that it can be converted into the XM312, a .50 cal version for infantry and light anti-armor support in under two minutes (1min 47sec).

Specifications^[2]

System

• Weight 50 Pounds (19.05 kg) (Gun, Mount, and Fire Control)

• Fire Control Full Solution, Day/Night

• Portability Two-Man Portable & Vehicle Mountable

• Stability Up to 18-Inch Tripod Height

• Environmental Operationally Insensitive to Conditions

Gun

• Dimensions 9.9Wx7.2Hx52.3L max inches (43.3L charged)/ 251.46x182.88x1328.42mm (1099.82 charged)

• Rate of Fire 250 Shots per Minute, Automatic

• Dispersion Less than 1.5 Mils, One Sigma Radius

• Range Lethal and Suppressive Out to 2,000 Meters

• Ammunition High-Explosive Airbursting, Armor Piercing, and Training Ammunition (HE, AP, TP, TP-S)

• Feed System Weapon-Mountable Ammunition Can (Left Feed)

Variants

A Remotely Operated Variant (ROV) for the Future Combat Systems family of vehicles is also under development.^[3] The weapon system, which would be mounted on the vehicle, will be remotely operated from within the vehicle.

Program status

• May 2004 - The development phase is funded through FY 2007.^[1]
• December 2005 - Funding granted for ROV variant.^[3]
• 2007 Project canceled

See also

• LAG 40 grenade launcher - Automatic Grenade Launcher used by Spain.
• Vektor Y3 AGL - Automatic Grenade Launcher of South African origin.
• Heckler & Koch GMG - A 40mm Automatic Grenade Launcher used by the German Army and other European armed forces.
• XM174 grenade launcher
• XM312 - (.50 cal. version of the XM307)
• Mk 47 - A 40 mm Grenade Launcher, also replacing the Mk 19 in some roles.
• Barrett XM109 - An anti-material sniper rifle firing the same ammunition as the XM307 ACSW.
• XM25 - A 25mm low-velocity smart cannon/grenade launcher for an individual soldier.

References

External links

• Discovery Website - XM307 video clip
• M307 Airbursting Weapon System Advanced Crew Served Weapon - Global Security
• XM307 ACSW Advanced Crew-Served Weapon - Modern Firearms
• General Dynamics: Fact Sheet on the XM307