A potential solution was found in the Mk 13 sniper rifles used by elements of U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). Configured in .300 Winchester Magnum, the Mk 13s were found to be accurate at the ranges desired. The net result was a contract award to Remington Arms Company, LLC and the delivery of the first XM2010 systems in less than one year.
U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Dennis Long, a mechanic with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team 34th Infantry Division, Task Force Red Bulls, fires an XM2010 Sniper Rifle on Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan, April 8. The XM2010 is a new Army-purchased weapon being distributed to sniper teams operating in Afghanistan.DoD photo by Sgt. Grant Matthes
Design features include: a new stock assembly that can be customized for the sniper through multiple physical adjustments; a folding buttstock that shortens the system for easier transport and greater concealment during movement and accommodates the mounting of accessories via removable MIL-STD 1913 Picatinny Rails; an improved 6.5-20 x 50 variable power Leupold riflescope with an enhanced reticle within the first focal plane and a .300 Winchester Magnum bullet-drop compensator (BDC); a quick-attach/detach Advanced Armament Corporation flash/blast/sound suppressor with muzzle brake; a five-round detachable box magazine; and advanced corrosion resistant coatings.
The new system reportedly has one minute of angle accuracy out to 1,200-1,400 meters, translating to a 50 percent accuracy/range increase over the 7.62 mm M24/M110. Furthermore, the XM2010 (at 17.5 pounds) is approximately half the weight of the Army’s large .50-caliber M107 Semi-Automatic Long Range Sniper Rifle.
Delivery of the first small quantity weapons to the U.S. Army took place in December 2010, with delivery quantities increasing in early 2011.
Ammunition
Supporting multiple service enhancements to the weapon platforms has been the development and fielding of new ammunition options to enhance performance effectiveness in specific tactical environments.
One representative example of this has been the recent fielding of the new 5.56 mm M855A1 Enhanced Performance Round (EPR), which began arriving in Afghanistan in the summer of 2010. Occasionally referred to as “green ammo,” the M855A1 replaces the older M855 5.56 mm cartridge that has been used by U.S. warfighters since the early 1980s. Specific enhancements found in the M855A1 include: improved hard-target capability, greater dependability, consistent performance at all distances, improved accuracy, reduced muzzle flash, and higher velocity.
The M855A1 Enhanced Performance Round (EPR) incorporates significant enhancements that are not found in its predecessor, the M855. In addition to improved accuracy and higher velocity, the EPR has improved hard-target capability, more consistent soft-target performance, and a significantly increased range of these effects. U.S. Army photo by Todd Mozes
According to service representatives, the M855A1 performed better than current 7.62 mm ball ammunition against certain types of targets during government testing, blurring the performance differences that previously separated the two rounds. Most significantly, the projectile incorporates these improvements without adding weight or requiring additional training.
The “green round” moniker comes from the fact that the EPR contains an environmentally friendly projectile that eliminates up to 2,000 tons of lead from the manufacturing process each year.
A May 2011 contract announcement by manufacturer ATK points to broad acceptance of the round, which is manufactured at the Lake City Army Ammunition Plant, in Independence, Mo. (ATK has operated Lake City since April 2000.)
“This latest set of orders includes an increase in the demand for the new M855A1 Enhanced Performance Round, which is getting very positive reviews by the warfighter,” explained ATK Small Caliber Systems Vice President and General Manager Mark Hissong. “We’ve produced more than 100 million rounds of the M855A1 EPR since transitioning it into full-rate production last year. We will increase EPR production rates this year as we complete the modernization of high-speed, high-volume 5.56 mm production equipment used to manufacture this new high-performance round.”
While some tactical scenarios call for 5.56 mm ammunition extended range and improved hard-target capability, other emerging government ammunition efforts are exploring a different slice of the tactical spectrum. Specifically, in late October 2011, the government outlined a proposed procurement for “AA17, 5.56 mm Reduced Ricochet Limited Penetration (RRLP) Ammunition in accordance with Hybrid Specification Mk 255 MOD 1,” noting, “This ammunition has limited penetration and reduced ricochet characteristics and will be used for Closer Quarter Battle (CQB) operations.”
Another representative ammunition activity can be found in the recently awarded contract for both 5.56 mm and 7.62 mm armor-piercing ammunition. According to program overviews, “The 5.56 mm M995 Armor Piercing (AP) and 7.62 mm M993 AP cartridges provide enhanced penetration capabilities against lightly armored vehicles. The 5.56 mm AP cartridges will be used in the M16A2 Rifle, M249 SAW machine gun, and the M4 Carbine. The 7.62 mm AP cartridges will be used in the M240/M240B and the M24 Sniper Rifle.”
In late August 2011, Nordic Ammunition Company (Nammo) received a five-year ID/IQ contract to provide the ammunition.
This article was first published in Defense: Winter 2012 Review Edition.