Individual and crew-served weapons and equipment

Army, Oct 2002

The ubiquitous M2 Machine Gun is a belt-fed, air-cooled, .50-caliber Browning machine gun capable of being fed from either the right or left by repositioning certain parts. It was rapidly expanded in a variety of ground, vehicle and aircraft modifications. Today, the M2 and M2 lightweight machine gun series remain in service as vehicle-mounted weapons in ground support and antiaircraft roles. The M2 can be fitted with a variety of day and night sights. It has a firing rate of 450 to 1,250 rounds per minute, depending on the version.

Standard .50-caliber ammunition types used in the M2 machine gun are the M33 ball, M17 tracer, M8 armor-piercing incendiary (API) and the M20 API tracer. Within the past 10 years, new rounds have been type-classified by the Army: the M903 sabot light armor penetrator (SLAP), the M962 SLAP tracer and the Mk2ll multipurpose.

The SLAP cartridge has increased lethality through improved penetration against armored vehicles versus the M8 API, which was developed during World War II. The SLAP cartridge also has a flatter trajectory and a greater effective range than the M8 API. The SLAP round provides the M2 machine gun with a more effective capability against improved armored vehicles by increasing penetration of light armor by a factor of two to three times at any given range over that of standard .50-caliber ammunition fielded by the U.S. military. The .50-caliber SLAP represents the best in class worldwide.

The Mk211 is a multipurpose cartridge that provides armor-piercing, incendiary and explosive fragmentation capabilities. After initially penetrating a target, delayed action explosive fragmentation occurs, initiating fire and antipersonnel effects. The primary advantage of this round is the delayed-effect high-explosive charge, allowing target penetration before detonation for increased effects.

In addition, efforts under the green ammunition program at the Army Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center (ARDEC) prompted the elimination of lead and heavy metals from the .50-- caliber, M33 and ball cartridges. Eliminating these toxic materials places .50-caliber ammunition in compliance with the most stringent environmental laws.

The M4/M4A1 Carbine is a shortened lightweight version of the M16A4 rifle with a telescoping buttstock. It allows a soldier operating in close quarters to engage targets at extended range with accurate lethal fire. The M4/M4A1 has more than 85 percent commonality with the M16A4 rifle and will replace the M3 .45-- caliber submachine gun and selected M9 pistols and M16 rifles. The M4 carbine, like the M16A4 rifle, fires in either semiautomatic or three-round-burst automatic mode via a selector switch. In addition, the M4/M4A1 carbine has a removable carrying handle with a sight mounted on an integral Picatinny rail on the upper receiver. When the carrying handle is removed, any accessory device with a rail grabber, such as an optical sight, can be mounted on the weapon.

The M4A1 carbine is essentially the same as the M4 with one exception-it has a different trigger mechanism that allows the weapon to fire in either semiautomatic or full automatic mode via the selector switch.

The M4A1 Special Operations Peculiar Modification (SOPMOD) Kit further expands the weapon system's tactical flexibility by allowing individual weapon adaptations to meet mission-specific requirements. The kit program increases operational effectiveness during close quarter battle and to ranges of 500 meters. Accessory kit options range from optical day/night sights and suppressors to quick-attach M203 grenade capabilities.

The Army's M9 Pistol is the 9-mm model 92F/FS Beretta. The semiautomatic single-action/double-action weapon operates on a short-recoil, delayed-locking block system. It is the primary sidearm of the U.S. military, replacing the .45-caliber model M1911A1.

The M9 has a 15-round staggered magazine with a reversible magazine release button that can be positioned for either right- or left-handed shooters. The system weighs 41 ounces when fully loaded.

Along with the large-scale fielding of the M9, the Army has a second 9-mm pistol in selected inventories. Designated as the M11, the second weapon is manufactured by SIGARMS (SIG Sauer P228). The Mll is slightly smaller than the M9 (the M11 is 7.1-inches long x 5.4-inches high versus 8.54-inches long x 5.51-inches high for the M9) with a magazine capacity of 13 rounds versus 15 for the M9.

Originally selected for use by military police investigators and the Criminal Investigation Division, the Mll has seen expanded fielding, including intelligence units and some special operations applications.

The M16A2 Rifle is a lightweight, aircooled, gas-operated, low-impulse rifle. An improved version of the M16A1, the M16A2 incorporates improved ergonomics in the pistol grip, stock length and handguards. An adjustable sight provides improved hit probability at extended ranges. A muzzle compensator, three-round burst control and a heavier barrel with a one-in-- seven twist all significantly improve the overall combat effectiveness of the M16A2. The new barrel twist rate provides compatibility with the heavier M855/M856 5.56-mm rounds used in the squad automatic weapon (SAW).