Battlefield Evolution in Real Life

[LaranosTZ]

To let you know guys, soon we will be seeing BF: Evo gear hit the field. Within 45 days a full division of Land Warrior equipped troops attached to stryker class armored vehicles will be heading to Iraq.

Let's wish them luck, good hunting, and let's show them what military ingenuity can do in the real battlefield.

 

[Turtle]

So what is the real deploying land warrior system capable of?

I only know it from the early specs back when it was using the XM8 as its rifle, I don't know what features were dropped.

 

[The-Patriot]

The Army has terminated the Land Warrior program.

This unit your talking about has tested the systems and will continue to use the systems in Iraq, however the Army is still looking at other options, so it's not likely any other units will be issued with such gear.

Also the XM8 assault carbine was cancelled and will not enter service.

 

[Sgt. Brassones]

If you can check out last monday's Future Weapons on the Discovery Channel. They had a feature on the Landwarrior/Stryker Brigade. Otherwise you can check out these sites: http://www.military.com/ http://www.militaryspot.com/ http://www.globalsecurity.org/

 

[Sgt. Brassones]

The Army has terminated the Land Warrior program.

This unit your talking about has tested the systems and will continue to use the systems in Iraq, however the Army is still looking at other options, so it's not likely any other units will be issued with such gear.

Also the XM8 assault carbine was cancelled and will not enter service.

I thought that was the Marines Future Warrior program.

 

[The-Patriot]

It was going to be used for both Special forces, Marines and Army personnal.


Im not saying they won't continue with it in the future, but for 2007 - 2009 they don't intend to do anything more with it.

 

[LaranosTZ]

Well, perhaps if this division performs well, they'll reinstititute, or expand the program.

 

[The-Patriot]

“We have pretty much removed most of the funding for the Land Warrior program,” said Lt. Gen. David Melcher, deputy chief of staff for Army G-8, said during a Pentagon briefing. “Land Warrior, along the way, really had some problems,” such as the weight of the system, which is currently 17 pounds.

Army budget officials said the Army will continue to support 4-9’s deployment with Land Warrior since the unit has devoted most of its predeployment training to becoming proficient with Land Warrior, Melcher said.

- Stryker Brigade News

 

[Locutus9956]

The XM8 Program was dropped not due to any particular fault with the gun but rather that the Army decided it was just too expensive at the moment to replace all their standard issue rifles and carbines.

The Marines decided to go with the SCAR instead anyway as I understand it.

Shame really, I loved the design of the XM8, and it was very close to operation status before it got canned (and given how much was already spent on the development of it, seems very silly to cancel it at the last hurdle so to speak (though its certainly not without its precedents, cough-cough-commanche-cough))

Still, cancelled or not I've still got my beloved airsoft version

 

[The-Patriot]

The XM8 wasn't good enough and didnt bring anything new to the table.

Stand alone tho, it is a good weapon, and I believe it is still made and sold, just not a service weapon.

 

[Locutus9956]

Well what it brought to the table was:

a) Modular design, making it much easier to modify than current weapons
b) Plastic construction, making it both much lighter and corrosionproof
c) Different mechanism making it infinitely more reliable than the M4 etc.

Now it may not be a revolution in firearms but it was/is far superior to the M4/M16. Whether it was tha much better when compared to, say, the G36 is another matter again but it still strikes me as daft to spend millions developing a weapon system then cancel it at the last moment.

 

[The-Patriot]

Well thats the defence business. Millions of $$$ gets spent on all kinds of stuff that never gets into service.

 

[soulman]

I loved that weapon, at least i have my airsoft xm8 with me now, and a scar coming sometime in 2007..

 

[Mr Evil]

XM8 was awsome as for bringing nothing new !!!!!! it brought a barrel full, its the most adaptable rifle created easist to maintain and would have had the longest servise history, making it the cheapest gun available long term.

i feel the droping of the xm8 was a bit daft from so many angles, it was evan adaptable for the sword, and could be remote fired so as a future weapon it had a very long life ahead of it. think of all that money waisted on development, wish the british army would buy a few, evan if i do prefer the bulpup design.

 

[Locutus9956]

I've heard rumours that the SAS are looking at the XM8 as possibility for geting a few.... Not been able to find anything even remotely official about this though (but then again the SAS dont officially exist so that might explain things )

Soulman: Which Airsoft XM8 do you have? Ive got the SRC one (just got it) and just curious how yours is if its the same (and how it compares if its not). Oh and incidentally, as for the airsoft SCAR...... (not the CA one out later in the year but this one is apparently very nice for the cheaper price tag (I fully intend to pick one up at some point ).

(pm me about the XM8 though mate as I dont really want to drag this forum off into an airsoft discussion )

 

[The-Patriot]

They stopped making the XM8 4 years ago.

The SAS (and both SBS and SRR) officially exist and are known as one of the best counter-terrorism units in the world, you can join them though the United Kingdom Special Forces Selection, held twice a year.

Personnel must have a level of prior regular or reserve military experience and must have at least 39 months of service remaining on completion of selection as well as not exceeding 32 years of age.

 

[Locutus9956]

Erm, the XM8 Project was suspended in 2005 and officially cancelled last year hardly 4 years.

And what I mean by 'dont officially exist' is that membership in the SAS is classified and noone is officially in it.

There is a difference between the word official and actual

 

[Hiromoon]

The Army has terminated the Land Warrior program.

This unit your talking about has tested the systems and will continue to use the systems in Iraq, however the Army is still looking at other options, so it's not likely any other units will be issued with such gear.

Also the XM8 assault carbine was cancelled and will not enter service.

*facepalms*

Sorry "The-Patriot", but this is usual funding stuff to get more money. The Army can say 'Oh, we're cutting funding to this', but they need to get permission from Congress to do it. And Congress can decide if they are going to fund Land Warrior, which they will.

The XM-8 HAD entered into field trials (i.e. handed to soldiers in an active combat zone to test) before it was first put on hold, then cancelled. In fact, if we weren't at war right now we would have probably started seeing units equipped with the XM-8 already. Most soldiers gave it good reviews during the testing, and it's a huge improvement over the M-4/M-16

 

[The-Patriot]

The XM8 Project was canceled on October 31, 2005.

However for most of this topic, i've been talking about the rifle. The XM8 rifle was only produced from 2003 till 2004.
If your infomation was correct, it would mean the SAS wish to order a weapon no longer produced, does that make sense to you?

SAS membership is classified but recuits are indeed officaly in it. For security, the identity of SAS recuits is kept from the public and media.

Keep in mind, im willing to share what infomation I know with users on this fourm, if im in error, feel free to correct me but know that im not here to mislead.

 

[The-Patriot]

The Army has terminated the Land Warrior program.

This unit your talking about has tested the systems and will continue to use the systems in Iraq, however the Army is still looking at other options, so it's not likely any other units will be issued with such gear.

Also the XM8 assault carbine was cancelled and will not enter service.

*facepalms*

Sorry "The-Patriot", but this is usual funding stuff to get more money. The Army can say 'Oh, we're cutting funding to this', but they need to get permission from Congress to do it. And Congress can decide if they are going to fund Land Warrior, which they will.

The XM-8 HAD entered into field trials (i.e. handed to soldiers in an active combat zone to test) before it was first put on hold, then cancelled. In fact, if we weren't at war right now we would have probably started seeing units equipped with the XM-8 already. Most soldiers gave it good reviews during the testing, and it's a huge improvement over the M-4/M-16

Im not here to debate if or when they will fund the program, but the fact is that the Land Warrior Program has been terminated by the Army.

I also never said anything about, or denied the field trials of the XM8.
I have said that the weapon has been indeed cancelled.

Keep in mind you can sit back and speculate all you like about what would of or could of happend to the XM8 and Land Warrior Program, but thats all it is, speculation.