I believe this may be why Thales are making a new weapon based on the SLR, they may not get the US contract, but I believe the Oz DoD are trying to stay in step here with their US counterparts, I believe they will be using the same ammunition as the US whether that be a 6.8mm round is yet to be determined perhaps? but I really believe one of the rounds it will be capable of firing is the mach 5/50 type round .
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB100...37336920.html?mod=WSJ_article_LatestHeadlines
notice where it says this new weapon will be able to handle improved ammunition, that's what they said in this link, but in another article they said they want a weapon that can place two projectiles into the same entry point, they called it hyper burst ability?
In this article they also say this "Critics have also raised concerns about the range and lethality of the 5.56 mm cartridge of the M16/M4."
and reliability issues have also been raised,
"“This is supposed to be a battle rifle.” He said. “We’re supposed to have a rifle that just doesn’t jam.” Impossible, of course – but one that jams far less often, and requires far less maintenance to avoid jams, while offering all of the M4’s compactness and add-on ease… that would represent a significant step forward.
Ironically, even Colt may have a better system ready to go. In a letter to Army Times magazine, Colt COO James R. Battaglini (US Marine Corps Maj. Gen., ret.) said:
“The gas piston system in the H&K 416 is not a new system. Rifles were being designed with these systems in the 1920’s. Colt proposed a piston operated weapon to the Army in the early 1960’s. Today Colt Defense has the ability and expertise to manufacture in great numbers piston system carbines of exceptional quality should the U.S. military services initiate a combat requirement for this type of weapon”
The SLR uses a gas operated piston!
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB100...37336920.html?mod=WSJ_article_LatestHeadlines
notice where it says this new weapon will be able to handle improved ammunition, that's what they said in this link, but in another article they said they want a weapon that can place two projectiles into the same entry point, they called it hyper burst ability?
In this article they also say this "Critics have also raised concerns about the range and lethality of the 5.56 mm cartridge of the M16/M4."
and reliability issues have also been raised,
"“This is supposed to be a battle rifle.” He said. “We’re supposed to have a rifle that just doesn’t jam.” Impossible, of course – but one that jams far less often, and requires far less maintenance to avoid jams, while offering all of the M4’s compactness and add-on ease… that would represent a significant step forward.
Ironically, even Colt may have a better system ready to go. In a letter to Army Times magazine, Colt COO James R. Battaglini (US Marine Corps Maj. Gen., ret.) said:
“The gas piston system in the H&K 416 is not a new system. Rifles were being designed with these systems in the 1920’s. Colt proposed a piston operated weapon to the Army in the early 1960’s. Today Colt Defense has the ability and expertise to manufacture in great numbers piston system carbines of exceptional quality should the U.S. military services initiate a combat requirement for this type of weapon”
The SLR uses a gas operated piston!
