US Army selects fire control for its Next Generation Squad Weapon programme

US Army officials have selected Vortex Optics to produce its Next Generation Squad Weapons – Fire Control (NGSW-FC) system and awarded the company with a contract valued up to USD2.7 billion.

The service announced the deal on 7 January and said the company is slated to deliver up to 250,000 XM157 NGSW-FCs over that 10-year period. The Program Executive Office Soldier noted that the minimum agreement is for USD20 million and the deal provides the government with the ability to procure fire control systems, supporting accessories, spare parts, repairs, and engineering services, to include requirements for other services and potential foreign military sales.

“The NGSW-FC system is a ruggedised fire control that increases accuracy and lethality for the Close Combat Force,” the office added. “It integrates a number of advanced technologies, including a variable magnification optic, backup etched reticle, laser rangefinder, ballistic calculator, atmospheric sensor suite, compass, intra-soldier wireless, visible and infrared aiming lasers, and a digital display overlay.”

The NGSW-FC is the planned replacement for the Close Combat Optic, Rifle Combat Optic, and Machine Gun Optic within the Close Combat Force. L3Harris Technologies was also competing for this contract.

Service leaders selected this fire control system ahead of the final downselect for its future Next Generation Squad Weapons – Rifle (NGSW-R) and Automatic Rifle (NGSW-AR), which it anticipates announcing in early 2022.

Service plans call for replacing the M4/M4A1 Carbine weapon with the NGSW-R and the Close Combat Force's M249 Squad Automatic Weapon in the Automatic Rifleman role with NGSW-AR.

Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems, Sig Sauer, and Textron Systems each produced prototypes of both weapons with unique common cartridges for 6.8 mm ammunition.