I’ll tease Kit Up! readers with a breaking news story we’ll feature in full on the front page of Military.com tomorrow morning.
Army officials approved Friday the fielding of about 40 of the Star Ship Troopers-esque XM-25 Counter Defilade Target Engagement Weapon System for a line infantry battalion in the 101st Airborne division serving in Afghanistan.
According to PEO Soldier Brig. Gen. Pete Fuller, the 101st (he wouldn’t say specifically which battalion) issued an Urgent Needs Statement asking for the airburst weapon to smoke out Talibs in their canals, bunkers and qalats. The Army approved the UNS Oct. 8 and earmarked $10 million to build 36 brand new weapons. The Army has five on hand and will ship them to the 101st battalion Nov. 1.
You may remember PEO had originally tabbed a Special Forces unit for the fearsome weapon’s first deployment this past summer. But scheduling problems precluded that test. Officials say they’re still psyched to have general purpose forces giving the XM-25 its first go since that’ll help them better refine the weapon and how it will be used in infantry squads.
{ 26 comments… read them below or add one }
This is great as long as we can keep this out of the hands of our enemies. Perhaps a digital use code could be assigned in order to engage the weapon. This would render the gun useless if captured.
The scarcity of ammunition would keep it from being too effective for them.
seems like it would be hard to do that while under fire
The key for my Ford ranger has a small chip in it that without it the car won't start even though it is the correct key. Although contractors would make it costly beyond belief I am sure, they could make something that would go into the glove to the shooters and that when he held the grip would allow the gun to be fired. The tech is already there in my car key, but again I am sure they would find a way to inflate the cost of development to a unreasonable price. Just a thought though.
This tech already exists in germany, but do you really want a soldier's weapon dependent on something like that? Plus once it becomes common knowledge enemies will just take the "electronic key" off the dead soldier, making the tech useless.
Thanks for sharing. What a pelsraue to read!
Great device….I don't necessarily believe it would be needed if the standard issued rifle was chambered in something other than a varmit round (5.56)
I'll stick with the M79, thank you… Although, I like Sprint's Evo, I don't like too much technology with my guns, I just want them to shoot and kill bad guys.
Good Weapon wuat about any inocent people inside wher not aware of.
There are no innocent people in the middle of a firefight. If they are there, it's because they want to be there. Now go away troll…
i think he means hostages, or non cmbatants.
My Barrett never seems to have problems with mud hut or brick walls. As far as the "innocent" well they better make their peace with God for hanging out with their friends when 19 Delta comes nocking!
well spoken, thumbs up!
Wouldn't be a bad mentality if you weren't gonna have UCMJ against you. I wish it was that easy…trust me. Being a 13F I have to be knowledgable on these things because of idiots like you who think it's still the wild west. The truth is we need to find a way to act more efficiently and with more discipline before this gets out of control. Now, I agree that this weapon isn't needed. Though I haven't seen it in use. All I have to say to you, Scouts Out, is use your head and think about all the people you piss off when you say things like that. This is a political war. We can't just enter it guns blazing anymore.
The use of a implanted chip in every soldier would be a better way to control who can fire the weapon.This chip can be turned on and off via satalite and can track the wear a bouts of any American or Allied soldier on the battlefield.
Pros:
enemy forces will not be able to use the weapon system
American and Allied soldiers can be quickly located if captured or MIA
Cons:
Hackers can gain access through a vunerability and be able to turn on or off the weapon systems
Enemy forces can pinpoint exact allied forces for missile attacks.
What do you guys think?
Scouts out, your statement seems ignorant, as has it occurred to you that maybe those innocents who are “housing” the Taliban might not want to be?
After all, you don’t just say no to a bunch of thugs who will cut off your head or otherwise make an example of you if you do.
Wouldn't a grenade launcher serve the same purpose when you aim it into a window?
Grenade launchers are great, but remember they aren't direct fire. We "lob" 40mm through our 203. This weapon is direct fire. This makes the shot much more accurate. Also, on the whole computer chip thing. What if I want to pass that weapon on? One weapon one user is not feasible.
Weapons break. Anything that uses a computer and we all know how 100% reliable our PC's are. Yikes!!!!!!!!!!!
Lol, totally agree. We don't quite have the tech to go HALO and put computers on all our weapons yet….
A couple of nice features of the XM25 are (1) a lethal area that minimizes collateral damage (compared to a mortar, even small diameter bomb, or TOW, for example), and (2) a high degree of accuracy so the gunner can put the warhead where he wants it. This will be a game-changer.
Providing that it works…….
This marks the beginning of a new arms race more than likely. Who will come out with the latest tech weapon will be the theme behiond it. We need more weapons of a higher standard to beat the enemies who have obtained many of our current weapons or the technology behind them, but what needs to be made secret about them needs to be kept out of the presses hands in order to keep them up to date for us.
[QUOTE]'…asking for the airburst weapon to smoke out Talibs in their canals, bunkers and qalats….'[/QUOTE]
WHY NOT JUST SEND ALONG A 155 MM LIGHT FRAME GUN ON A TRACK MOUNT AND USE IT TO SMOKE THE BAD GUYS? i guess the Army is getting tired of using 223 rounds to try and smoke the bad guys. bet the guys in the mud would prefer MY idea …. anyone who cares to ask them.
Why not drive finishing nails with a twelve pound sledge?
my battalion had the 5 in country last year, we were fighting on a roof in Kilewal afghanistan last year, we engaged a shooter from across a road into a building, round airburst inside!!!!
we did BDA and the ******* had been hit…blood everywhere, his boys had a hole cut in the floor and they had medevaced him
we were in a later engagement when the weapon my platoon was testing exploded in the gunners hand !!! the remaining 4 in the unit performed well, but in my opinion it is a waste of money..if it sees wide force adoption I can see 2 per platoon….maybe give it to weapons squad as a support weapon.