"The Weaponry of the Future Marine Corps Rifle..." Topic

… SQUAD EXPLAINED

"The Marine Corps is rolling into the future, stripping armor assets, and streamlining their approach to warfare. The Marine Rifle Squad, in particular, has seen a unique update that's changed its basic composition from 13 Marines to 15 Marines. Besides adding two Marines to the squad, their arsenal has also been updated with lighter, more lethal weapon options. In part 2 of our analysis of the Future of the Marine Corps Rifle Squad, we are taking a peek at their new arsenal.

The Marine Rifle Squad has made four changes to its weaponry loadout. These changes streamlined the squad's firepower and gave the basic rifle squad better capabilities for modern warfare. The focus seems to be on making the individual squad more autonomous and more capable, which aligns with the structure update of the Marine Rifle Squad…"
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Armand

Interesting. He makes a case that the Marine Rifle Squad can do without a LMG since all will be armed with the new M27 rifles. I'm not so sure. I wonder if they have wargamed the old squad against the new squad. I foresee a SAW coming back in not-too-distant future.

Glad you enjoyed it ….

Armand

I foresee a SAW coming back in not-too-distant future.

Agreed … As a former Army 101 Rifle Plt Ldr & Mech Co. Cdr. I have a predilection firepower at all levels. I'd say M27s + LMG/SAW for the USMC.

I personally didn't like the SAW, it weighed 17lbs unloaded and loaded 22lbs, for one more pound you could have an M60-E3 machine gun, firing 7.62mm. I would rather have a regular machine gun than the SAW. I made my SAW gunners carry the spare barrel because without it, the weapon was useless. Good riddance to it, it sucked to carry, the ammo boxes were heavy, rattled when you were trying to be quite, and burned out the troops that carried it. They also need to get rid of the M203 and go to rifle grenades, than everyone is a grenadier.

My Inf Squad had two Fire Tms of 5 each :

1st Tm :

1 M60 MG
1 M203 GL
1 M249 SAW
2 M16s

2d Tm :

1 M47 MAW
1 M203 GL
1 M249 SAW
2 M16s

Sqd Ldr – M16

The SAW did weight almost as much as the M60 MG. But I liked the fire power of all 3 in the Squad. We were not going to get any other SAW/LMG/MMGs. In the 101 our Rifle Plts were short SAWs in the Squads. Until later in the mid '80. So when I took command of an M113 APC Mech Co. in a Mech Hvy Bde of the 18th ABN Corps. In the late '80s, we saw the M249 as a good addition.

As well as Mech has the .50 HMG on per Squad on the M113. Which could be dismounted as well. In e.g. a Deliberate Defense, etc. Too heavy to carry very far, plus the ammo.

Do you think a new version of Rifle grenades would be as effective as the M203 ? I really don't know as having never seen or used one.

I served on Active duty, '79-'90 … so things I am sure would have change later …

The lack of a belt fed machine gun seems problematic to me. No ability for sustained fire.

Good point…

Armand

Yes, a SAW has a drum fed belt in mag of 250 rds, IIRC, that hooks on to the weapon. Easily reloaded. A belt fed like the M60 gives you good sustained ROF. As I said, I liked having both in my Squads. They each had their +s & -s …