Replacing the SAW

[buffybuster]

My opinion they should look at refining this:

"Ultimax 100 light machine gun

The Ultimax 100 is the world’s lightest 5.56mm light machine gun with the lowest recoil. Combined with its compact size, it is highly accurate and controllable, delivering significant advantage in firepower."

Th Ultimax was designed by L. James Sullivan. He was also the lead engineer with Armalite to downscale Stoner's AR10 design to the 5.56 cartridge (AR15). He also did basically the same thing for Ruger with the Mini14.

M249 SAW's being belt-fed is it's biggest advantage (sustained firepower) and also it's biggest weakness (easy entry of grit/dirt/sand into the chamber and weight of links).

[JDay]

Not exactly sure how any of those replace a SAW. Basically using an automatic rifle as a light machine gun.

That's pretty much what the SAW is, it fires the same 5.56mm round that the M16A2 and M4 use only at a higher rate.

[develown]

Interesting thread.

I remember the change over in the British Army when a infantry section was equipped with SLRs (FALs to you guys) and a 7.62 GPMG (M240) to the SA80 and 2 Light support weapons make up (both mag fed 5.56). It blew because a section lost a huge amount of firepower, no-one liked it. Eventually over time the LSWs were replaced with GPMGs and M249s, which was much better.

The Brits still use LSWs. Their LSWs take the place of our saw and is basically just a full auto 5.56 L85. The LSW is a good weapon, but it has the same problem that all these saw replacements have, they are magazine fed.
Furthermore, They still have the 7.62 GPMG which acts as their 240.

Personally I don't see a need to replace the saw just yet, its actually a pretty good weapon in my opinion. Furthermore, i don't think its going to be replaced any time soon. The government would rather spend the money on buying fighter planes and air craft carriers. Small arms are usually last on their list of things to upgrade.