The Army refitted 5,000 M14's and added them to the 100,000 M16's and M4's already there. Small change. They already have crew served weapons in the units, it was the small foot patrol who needed a portable one man weapon with 600m effective range. Why? Because Haji can't shoot his AK accurately over 300m, and went to using old .50 cal Russian machine guns and locally made copies of the Enfield shooting .303.
We're talking a hand filed copy of a turn of the century bolt action. That's a serious threat we should then reequip our soldiers to respond to? We need to buy 100,000 SCAR H's to shoot back at a .303 plinker? No way he accurately puts rounds on anything at 600m, he's just trying to harrass and interdict.
Don't forget, he gets about 12 x 30 back at him for his 5. Odds are, we will get luckier than he will. To make sure, add in the SDM who is targeting him with a proper long distance scope, and he not only can't move away safely, he's pinned down. At that point, air, artillery, or another sniper within a mile can assist.
Long term, I see a laser designating small rocket with thermal sighting be developed. Until then, the LAW and other small rockets have found a new purpose in battle, and the airburst 20mm grenade launcher is already earning some respect.
All the money to downgrade our fighting capability with 100,000 SCAR .308s is better off spent adding one practical, long range weapon to enhance our fighting ability. That's what the battle experts are doing - adding one old M14, a grenade launcher, some LAWs, etc. Not screwing the pooch making each soldier carry a heavier weapon they won't shoot much, less ammo, and having less combat power.
I played both side of that street for 22 years, hunted with a HK91, trained with an M16. M16 wins humping full battle rattle. HK hit the road. It is very much caliber specific, move up in caliber, you actually get less effective. No Army is made up of hundreds of thousands of trained snipers. Only 10% of ours is even Combat Arms. The rest need personal protection devices, not main battle rifles to lug to the copier, trip over at their COMMS station, or have strapped to their back in triage.
Whatever job you are employed at RIGHT NOW, think about how to carry a weapon, and what you would want on a daily basis. Well, you HAVE, CCW carriers, a sample cross section of both genders and most walks in life, all report they generally drop big calibers and large frames as bulky and unnecessary. Same factors for any Army, a CW3 in a maintenance shop or Major out checking mess fac's in the field don't want or need an M14. The M4 is about more than they want already, and with HMMV's as transportation, a chest holster with handgun preferred. Easier to get to and use dismounting, then a subgun to clear the street if necessary.
One in one hundred have served, 99 don't have a clue.
Horsesoldier, this is a great tag team match. Arguing with the Infantry is like wrestling a pig, everybody gets dirty, but the pig likes it!
