XM29 OICW
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The XM29 OICW (Objective Individual Combat Weapon) was the name for a series of prototypes of a new type of battle rifle that fired 20mm airburst grenades. The prototypes were developed as part of the Objective Individual Combat Weapon program in the 1990s. The term SABR (Selectable Assault Battle Rifle) was also used at certain points, but is less common.
Image:OICW.gif Developed by Alliant Techsystems, with Heckler & Koch as a major subcontractor, the most commonly seen version of the XM29 consisted of a semiautomatic 20 mm smart grenade launcher, an underslung assault carbine (derived from the HK G36 then in its late developmental stage) firing a standard 5.56 x 45mm NATO round, and a top-mounted computer-assisted sighting system with integrated laser rangefinder, thermal night vision capabilities, and up to 6x optical telescopic sight. Earlier designs used different configurations and setups. A side-by configuration was tested before the undersling approach was adopted. Other variations included just the 20mm launcher or one that used the MP7 rather than the 5.56mm NATO rifle.
The launcher part has been described variously as a light semi-automatic 20 mm cannon, a grenade launcher, or an airburst weapon. It poses a classification problem, in that it does not fit neatly into any one category. On one hand, it uses much smaller shells and has a much flatter trajectory than grenade launchers. On the other, while its caliber and velocity is more similar to a light cannon, it does share traits with other infantry grenade launchers.
Various problems have effectively ended the program as it was originally envisioned, including weight, bulk, and lack of effectiveness of the 20mm airburst round. Upon cancellation in 2004, it was split into three related programs. OICW Increment One is a program to develop a family of light kinetic energy weapons, OICW Increment Two is a program to develop the airburst grenade launcher as a standalone component, and OICW Increment Three will be a program to re-integrate the two components. The XM8 was developed to meet Increment One requirements, but has since been canceled in favor of an open request for proposal for the best designs from industry. It is anticipated that XM8 (or something very like it) will compete in that RFP. Meanwhile, the XM25 25mm airburst launcher was developed to meet the Increment Two requirements. Increment Three will not be initiated until after One and Two are completed.
The RFP for the OICW Increment I program was cancelled on October 31, 2005. The status of the Increment I and its impact on the other Increments is not clear.
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Technical characteristics
The XM29 is a combination weapon, which has the 20mm semi-automatic, magazine fed cannon/grenade launcher as its primary part, and the 5.56mm compact assault rifle as its secondary part. Both parts are assembled into the single one-man portable unit, with the addition of the target acquisition / fire control system (TA/FCS), which is an essential part of the whole system. The XM29 is planned to become an integral part of the future Land Warrior system, capable of communicating with the other parts of this system, including the tactical computers and helmet-mounted displays.
HEAB launcher
Early in 2002 the XM29 prototypes were successfully tested with the newest 20mm HEAB (High Explosive Air Bursting) munitions, which would be the major "kill factor" for the XM29 weapon. The launcher is capable of firing in semi-automatic mode only, and is gas operated. It has a bullpup layout with the detachable box magazine located in the butt of the weapon. The rifled barrel is used to launch the 20 mm grenades up to 1,000 meters with good accuracy. In the standard configuration most of the fire controls for the grenade launcher part are located on the rifle part, including the single trigger for both firing modules. It is quite possible, however, that a separate stock will be developed for the grenade launcher part, allowing it to be used without the rifle part attached.
The launchers has the provisions for the TA/FCS system to be mounted on its top, and the appropriate interfaces, so the data provided from the TA/FCS can be used to program the 20 mm grenade fuses. These fuses, used for the 20mm HEAB ammunition, have multiple modes of detonation, including a direct impact mode and an air burst mode. In the latter mode the fuse is pre-programmed to explode the warhead at a preset range, which is calculated during the flight by counting the number of the grenade's rotations. This allows the round to defeat targets without direct impact, using the blast and fragmentation effect of the high explosive warhead. Shrapnel and other debris accelerated by the detonation of the airburst round can be more deadly to the enemy than direct fire. This is a major advantage over present small arms, which in most cases require a direct hit on the target to be effective, as it allows for greater aiming errors, and also makes possible to defeat targets in defilade, like trenches and so on. The high explosive warhead also has the advantage of not being dependent on its velocity to be effective, so unlike bullets, its effectiveness does not decrease with increasing ranges.
The disadvantage of this system is the extreme complexity of the electronic fuses, which results in a high price of a single round of ammunition. The plans stated that one HEAB round must cost about US $25, and it is still to be seen what the actual price of munitions will be. It is interesting that the present design of the HEAB ammunition actually has two small HE warheads at the front and at the rear of the projectile, with the electronic fuse module located between them. While the HEAB is considered a primary round for the 20mm grenade launcher, it is entirely possible to develop a low cost anti-armour 20mm round with a Shaped Charge warhead, which will be effective against lightly armored vehicles (APC, MICV and like) and various hardened targets.
Kinetic energy rifle
The rifle, or "kinetic energy" part of the XM29 system is a fairly conventional short-barrelled assault rifle. The component was derived from the Heckler & Koch G36 then in its late developmental stages. It has no buttstock and no sights of its own, and thus can be used separately from the whole system only as emergency, personal defense weapon. When mounted to the whole system, it can be used for close quarters work, both defensive or offensive (the 20mm grenade launcher has a minimum range of fire of about 50 meters), or as a low-cost, low intensity medium range offensive weapon. Most of the XM29 system controls are built into the rifle part, around the trigger guard.
TA/FCS
The target acquisition/fire control system (TA/FCS) is the most expensive and complicated unit of the whole system, since it must combine day and night vision capabilities, laser range-finding unit, ballistic computer, and various interfaces to the grenade launcher and external systems. It is used to find the targets in any light and weather conditions, determine the range to the target, calculate and display the aiming data, so the grenade or bullet can be fired to the desired point of impact, and then supply the data to the grenade launcher, so the range can be preset into the grenade fuse. In the case of damage to the TA/FCS the 20mm grenade launcher still can be used in the direct impact mode, as can the rifle part of the system.
Efficiency and cost issues
Research and testing shows that the XM29 can be up to 500% more effective than present small arms. However, the program has been effectively cancelled due to problems with cost, weight, bulk, and the lack of lethality of the airburst round. The final prototypes of the XM29 weighed in at about five and a half kilograms when empty, and nearly seven when loaded. Soldiers also complained of the sheer bulk of the weapon system. Regarding cost, some experts even commented that the idea of the XM29 "...seems to make a soldier so expensive to field that he can't be risked in combat."
In Popular Culture
- The XM29 is featured in numerous videogames, including, but not limited to: the Ghost Recon series, Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Lockdown, Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem, Soldier of Fortune 2, Delta Force: Land Warrior, Nightfire, and Far Cry. It was also slated to be in Half-Life 2, but was dropped before the game was released.
- Frank Castle uses a 'battle rifle' appearing in the shape of an XM29 in The Punisher (game) - that rifle, like its real-life counterpart, also has a grenade launcher attachment.
- In the James Bond movie Die Another Day, North Korean Colonel Moon uses an XM29's 20mm cannon to destroy a helicopter in the pre-title sequence.
- In Red Faction 2, although it is a more futuristic take on the rifle(It is called the NICW).
External links
- Modern Firearms - XM29 OICW
- Alliant Techsystems
- Heckler & Koch (English - United States)
- HK Pro - More information including pictures
- OICW I cancelledfr:XM29 OICW
de:Objective Individual Combat Weapon ms:XM29 OICW pl:Karabin-granatnik XM29 OICW