New Generation Bullet for Next Generation Weapons

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New bullets would be a better match for the threats soldiers will likely face in future conflicts. The US Army has been working on a new bullet that is bigger, bolder and harder hitting. The combination of this new generation bullet with the new generation of weapons will enable soldiers to shoot farther and more accurately than ever.  

The new 6.8 diameter round is expected to replace the 5.56mm in the next generation rifle and SAW. The 5.56mm has been short on enough mass to defeat advanced body armor. The larger current option, the 7.62mm bullets, are short on propellant with too much mass.

The 6.8 round is the solution. Longer supersonic velocity than the currently used bullets combined with less recoil and more stable shooting should deliver even greater accuracy.

The 6.8mm rounds are expected to be capable of penetrating currently available modern body armor as well as defeat future advances in body armor too, according to foxnews.com.

The goal is to create bullets that will also help deliver enhanced accuracy and range.

When combined with the new generation of weapons the Army has underway, these bullets should be able to penetrate advanced enemy body armor even at distances of about 2,000 feet away.

An ammunition upgrade is also underway. The US Army has selected a new round to replace those equipping its M4A1 carbine and M249 Squad Automatic Weapons. Two different ammunition cartridges utilizing 6.8mm projectiles will be developed. The Next Generation Squad Weapon will replace the M4A1 carbine for individual infantrymen. The Next Generation Squad Automatic Rifle will replace the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon, the “SAW.”