New Generation Light Ammunition 6.8mm Caliber For NGSW (Next Generation Squad Weapon)

Abstract

To be able to increase the fighting power of the United States Infantry troops, the US Army developed lightweight ammunition, namely 6.8 mm caliber. The development of 6.8 mm ammunition is due to the development of body armor (individual troop personal protective equipment) which increasingly uses materials that are difficult to penetrate by old ammunition such as 5.56 mm caliber and 7.62mm caliber at relevant distances. With this 6.8 mm caliber, it is expected that even body armor with strong materials can be penetrated even with a long shooting distance of about 600 m, with such a distance it is penetrated, especially with a close distance it will certainly facilitate the penetrating power of the 6.8 mm caliber against body armor with strong materials. In this paper, a literature study was conducted on the latest 6.8 mm ammunition for NGSW (Next Generation Squad Weapon) which began to be developed in the United States. There are three Defense Industries in the United States that are trusted by the US Army to be able to conduct research and development related to 6.8 mm ammunition as NGSW (Next Generation Squad Weapon), namely Sig Sauer, General Dynamics, and Textron Systems. Each industry produces 6.8 mm lightweight ammunition with different ammunition materials and also makes prototypes of weapons with different types. Textron System produces 6.8 mm ammunition with CT (cased telescoped) ammunition models, General Dynamics produces 6.8 mm TVCM (True Velocity Cartridge) ammunition with SAAMI standards, and for Sig Sauer produces 6.8 mm Hybrid Cartridge ammunition made from steel. As for the prototype weapons, namely the Textron NGSW-R 6.8 mm made by Textron Systems, the RM 277 Assault Rifle with the “BullPup” system made by General Dynamics, and for Sig Sauer's 6.8 mm MCX Spear. Of the three American Defense Industries, Sig Sauer is considered to have the best design and development, both for ammunition design and the design of the Assault Rifle prototype that will use the 6.8 mm NGSW ammunition.