Army's XM806 .50cal Program Making Progress

FacebookXPinterestEmailEmailEmailShare

We posted a lead story today on Military.com I thought Kit Up! readers would be interested in. A tipster asked me a while ago about the status of the Army's search for a lightweight .50cal and here's what I got...

It’s an iconic weapon whose guttural “thump-thump-thump” inspires confidence that whatever it’s shooting at is going down – in a big way.

But for the first time since World War II, the Army is working on a fundamental redesign of the venerable M2 .50cal machine gun, cutting its weight in half, increasing its accuracy and making it a lot easier to shoot for Soldiers on the move.

Dubbed the XM806, the new version of the “Ma Duce” is being developed in response to the Army’s concerns about the weight and mobility of the current M2. With a greater emphasis on light infantry tactics since 9/11, officials wanted a weapon that can be as easily mounted on a Humvee as it can a hillside.

“It is designed to augment the M2 .50 caliber machine gun, but can also be used to replace the M2 in select operational locations,” the Program Executive Office for Soldier Weapons said in an email to Military.com. “The weapon is ideal for light infantry and special operations forces, as well as for vehicles demanding more lethality but lighter weight.”


Let's hope that in these tight economic times and with bean counters looking for savings in military procurement programs, the Army gets the resources it needs to field this new Ma Duce.

Read the entire story on the XM806 lightweight .50 cal at Military.com.

Story Continues
Army KitUp KitUp