OICW

[Tantalus]

Information for those of us whom are still likely to be in an arena to experience it:

 

Objective Individual Combat Weapon (XM29 Rifle Integrated Air-Burst Weapon System)

 

The ATK XM29 Rifle Integrated Air-Burst Weapon System, originally designated the Objective Individual Combat Weapon (OICW), is now often referred to simply as the XM29 rifle.

 

The programme is supervised by the Joint-Services Small-Arms Program (JSSAP), under the Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center (ARDEC), directed towards providing the individual soldier with a weapon with the potential to replace the M16 rifle, the M4 carbine, the M203 40mm grenade launcher and the M249 5.56 mm Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW).

 

The XM29 is the lethality upgrade to the US Army's Land Warrior (LW) system for the dismounted soldier. It is also an integral part of the US Army's transformation to the Future Combat System (FCS).

 

In March 1998, following four years of Advanced Technology Demonstration effort, Alliant Techsystems (ATK) was selected to proceed into Phase IV of the project to build the XM29 system and ammunition.

 

ATK is the prime contractor responsible for total weapon-system integration and 20 mm High-Explosive Air-Bursting (HEAB) ammunition development.

Brashear LP of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is responsible for the development of the Target Acquisition/Fire-Control (TA/FC) system.

Heckler & Koch GmbH of Germany is designing and manufacturing the weapon.

Dynamit Nobel Defence is responsible for the Kinetic-Energy (KE) ammunition improvements.

Octec of the UK is providing laser steering/tracking for the TA/FC system.

 

As a result of the implementation of a Program Definition and Risk-Reduction (PDRR) contract, rather than the previously agreed 'streamlined acquisition approach', the first fielded date is now expected to be FY09 rather than the original FY07.

 

As part of the PDRR contract, five full prototypes are to be manufactured before the programme enters EMD, during FY04.

 

Some redesign from the existing design outlined below is to be introduced, and what are described as 'additional' capabilities are to be introduced.

Known centres of attention include a revised Laser Range-Finder, a Digital Camera, a Combat Identification System, Integrated Thermal Fire Control and Laser Illumination. Preplanned production improvements include Multifunctional Lasers and revised Battery Technology.

Live-firing tests of the redesigned XM29 are to take place at Aberdeen Proving Ground at the end of FY03.

 

It is planned that each US Army nine-strong infantry squad will have four members equipped with the XM29. Under current plans, the US Army is expected to procure from 20,000 to 40,000 weapons.

 

Description:

 

The XM29 is the next-generation infantry weapon that will combine the lethality of 20 mm air-bursting munitions, 5.56 mm NATO ammunition and a unique TA/FC system to defeat targets at extended ranges.

 

The XM29's modular construction allows it to be fired as an integrated weapon system or separated for independent 5.56 or 20 mm firing. The current XM29 weight is approximately 8.17 kg loaded. Measures are being introduced to reduce this to approximately 6.81 kg, fully loaded, by the end of the PDRR contract and to a maximum of 6.36 kg before entering production.

 

Compared to the M16 rifle family, the XM29 doubles the standoff range, provides a 500-plus per cent increase in probability of incapacitation, permits a reduction in the soldier's load, and increases significantly combat versatility and survivability. Recoil is stated to be one-third of that of an M14 rifle. Field stripping of the weapon takes less than two minutes. The 5.56 mm component is being used as the basis for the XM8 lightweight assault rifle (see separate entry). On the XM29, the 5.56 mm steel barrel is 254 mm long. On the 20 mm, the barrel is 457 mm long and is manufactured using titanium.

 

The laser range-finder within the TA/FC unit delivers precise target ranging, which it communicates autonomously to the 20 mm HEAB ammunition. Laser ranging accuracy is ?0.5 m out to 500 m and ?1 m out to 1,000 m. The 20 mm HEAB rounds offer full defilade capability and can be programmed for a variety of effects, such as self-destruct, Military Operations in Urban Terrain (MOUT) short-arm, point detonation and point-detonation delay. As part of the PDRR, the TA/FC system will be able to transmit laser range-finder data directly to the fuze in the 20 mm HEAB round. Iron sights are provided as an emergency backup.

 

The time of flight to 1,000 m for the 20 mm HEAB grenade is 5.5 seconds. The fuze operates on the turn-count principle. Ballistically matched training as well as high-explosive grenades are being produced.

 

Cyclic rate of fire for the 5.56 mm component is up to 850 rds/min delivered in two-round bursts and is up to 10 rds/min for the 20 mm grenades.

 

 

Specifications:

 

Weight, loaded: 8.17 kg

Barrel lengths:

5.56 mm steel: 254 mm

20 mm: 457 mm

Time of flight: 20 mm HEAB grenade, 5.5 s to 1,000 m

Rates of fire, cyclic:

5.56 mm: up to 850 rds/min

20 mm: up to 10 rds/min

[Guest Mortarion]

http://www.hkpro.com/oicw.htm

For pics

 

http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/Quarters/2116/oicw.htm

Critics and bad music

 

OICW is trashed as it was too heavy.

Instead it was split off into two seperate weapons, the XM8 and XM25. The XM25 as the name suggests uses a 25mm grenade rather than the 20mm grenade that the OICW used.

 

And testing has begun

http://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htweap/ar...s/20051010.aspx

 

Most likley the oicw is dead if the xm8 will be a succes

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[Flya]

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm now I know wot I want for xmas

[Tantalus]

Nice gun sir!

 

The KE portion of the XM8, like that of the XM29, is derived from that of the Heckler & Koch G36 - no wonder it looks familiar.. here's some soldier doing a 'catalogue man' pose with one.. all the pic needs is a price in the bottom right corner

 

[BunduBasher]

I'm sure there is one of those in the latest Argos catalogue, page 1739!

[Guest Mortarion]

Still in my opinion

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