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OICW

trooperchintrooperchin Member Posts: 2,632 ✭✭✭✭✭
edited May 2002 in General Discussion
This gun kick *

The Objective Individual Combat Weapon (OICW) is a next-generation infantry rifle system that will give American fighting troops an unprecedented capability on the 21st century battlefield.

In 1999, the program completed its Proof of Principles phase and in August, 2000, ATK was awarded a four-year Program Definition and Risk Reduction phase to incorporate lessons learned from the initial three advanced technology weapons built. After the end of PDRR, soldiers will conduct a mini-operation testing program to evaluate changes made and provide recommendations for the two-year engineering manufacture development phase (2005-07).

When fielded in 2009, the OICW will provide combat troops with a precision weapon that is five times more effective at over twice the range of existing M203 rifle systems with its 40mm rounds. Current U.S. Army plans call for four of the nine soldiers in an infantry squad to carry the OICW. It will replace some of today's modular weapon systems, made up of either the M16 rifle, or the M4 carbine with an attached M203 grenade launcher.

As an integrated weapon system, the OICW incorporates all of the combined features of the two existing modular systems and provides additional capabilities. For increased precision at longer ranges, it includes an electronic fire control system with a laser range finder that pinpoints the target range and autonomously communicates the range to the system's 20mm high-explosive ammunition. A high-velocity, flat aeroballistic trajectory allows it to airburst precisely over the identified target. Other key features include a simple red dot day/night sighting system that uses uncooled infrared sensor technology for night vision and the elimination of aiming errors associated with combat states known as wobble and Kentucky windage..

Total OICW system weight - rifle and ammunition - is expected to be between 10 percent and 30 percent less than the currently used modular systems made up of the M16 and M4 rifles with attached grenade launcher and ammunition with a 20mm magazine feed capability as the 40mm's single shot approach..

The projected cost of the OICW system hardware is expected to be less than the comparable modular weapon systems that it will replace. Total life cycle ammunition costs also are expected to be substantially lower because of the precision of the laser targeting system, the effectiveness of the air-burst round, the use of simulators to supplement troop training, and use of training ammunition.


20mm HE


20mm TP


5.56mm KE

Key Capabilities

Precise target range which is automatically communicated to the 20mm HE (High Explosive) bursting ammunition. Soldier lases, aims and fires.
Five times more lethal than the M16/M203, at more than twice the range
Full defilade target capability
Day/night fire control; weapon interface, iron sight backup
Laser ranging accuracy: ?1/2m out to 500m; ?1m out to 1000m
Moving target tracking capability ... identification of closest enemy threat option
Rate of fire with KE (Kinetic Energy) ammunition: >850 rounds/min; with HE >10 rounds/min
HE ammunition functional modes: airburst, MOUT short arm, point detonation, point detonation delay, and self-destruct
KE semi two-round burst; HE semi automatic
Recoil level: only slight more than M16
Ruggedized composite weapon housing
Separable HE/KE weapons
Easily field strippable in less than two minutes

Accurate OICW 20mm HE airburst at 2.5 meters above ground, using turns-count fuzing precision.




Weapon Operation
The fire control system (FCS), using a laser range finder, pinpoints the precise target range and relays this information to the 20mm ammunition fuzing system, which signals the munition to burst precisely over the target. The projectile does not require guidance. Fragments from the bursting munition will defeat PASGT body armor and incapacitate the target. The sighting system provides full 24-hour capability by employing uncooled IR sensor technology for night vision.

World-Class Team
The OICW Program Definition and Risk Reduction program is managed by PM Small Arms with support provided by ARDEC. The lead user proponent is the U.S. Infantry School, Ft. Benning, Georgia. ATK is system integrator, fuze developer and 20mm HE developer. Teammates include Heckler & Koch (weapon), Brashear LP (fire control), Octec (target tracker), and Dynamit Nobel (KE support). For the PDRR/EMD program, the ATK team remains intact and will evolve a combat ready system-continuing our commitment to the 21st century Land Warrior.

Current Program
In August 2000, ATK began a Program Definition and Risk Reduction (PDRR) development phase. The purpose of the 48-month PDRR program is to build off the lessons learned from the Proof of Principle Advance Technology Demonstration phase and to evaluate a broad range of design concepts to ensure that the Army has the best combination of OICW features and performance. This phase will lay the groundwork for engineering and manufacturing development, scheduled to begin in 2004. Production is expected to begin in 2008, with delivery of the first weapon systems to selected combat units anticipated the following year.

ATD Program Schedule
Phase 1
Six-month study completed: 12/94

Phase 2
System design and subsystem demonstration completed: 2/96

Phase 3
Prototype system demonstrated: 2/98

Phase 4/5
Hardware build / initial soldier firings: 1998-99

PDRR/EMD
FY2000-2007

FUE
First Unit Equipped-2009


Uncluttered field-of-view with red dot and adjusted aimpoint.
Separable HE/KE weapons.
Recoil level is 1/3 that of the M14.


ISO 9001 certified, BSI registered firm FM38068. Approved for release to the public domain. 104544 10/99




Copyright c 1997-2002, Alliant Techsystems Inc.



Go Army Beat Navy
IF you wanna have fun jine the cavalry

Comments

  • daddodaddo Member Posts: 3,408
    edited November -1
    Guns are getting smarter than us!
  • offerorofferor Member Posts: 8,625 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    How long will it be before sighting systems are regulated as being "too accurate" for civilian use? Of course, they'll be too expensive for John Doe anyway.

    When I worked as a tech writer there was a Javelin shoulder-fired anti-tank weapon in development with the slogan, "Fire and Forget." Just fire, turn around and walk away. The tank is toast. We saw it on video, and I still have a decal on my car. Before long, the Land Warrior will have something as good in its own way.

    - Life NRA Member
    "If cowardly & dishonorable men shoot unarmed men with army guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary...and not by general deprivation of constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878
  • offerorofferor Member Posts: 8,625 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I'm getting to be a big fan of H&K. Anybody got $1200 to loan for a .45 USC? I "really need" one. heheheh!

    Of course I'd just as soon have a 10mm:



    - Life NRA Member
    "If cowardly & dishonorable men shoot unarmed men with army guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary...and not by general deprivation of constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878

    Edited by - offeror on 05/24/2002 18:42:35
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