For the first time in almost 50 years, the U.S. Army wants to replace the standard rifle shouldered by hundreds of thousands of frontline troops around the world.
The service this week advertised its interest in a new weapon that would incorporate futuristic sights and other advances in rifle design and be able to handle improved ammunition.
The gun would potentially supplant the M4 carbine, a shorter-barrel version of the M16, the Army's main infantry weapon for decades.
Operations in Afghanistan—where troops often engage the enemy over long distances—have rekindled debate over the quality of the Army's standard-issue rifles and their reliability in dusty, primitive conditions...
Critics have also raised concerns about the range and lethality of the 5.56 mm cartridge of the M16/M4...
An "industry day" for small-arms manufacturers is planned for March 30. The Army said it would pick a winner after two years of rigorous evaluation. Gerald Dinkel, the president and CEO of Colt Defense LLC, said the Army has "held out the M4 as a high standard, and somebody is going have to come out and really beat it."..
...Army commanders have also long faced questions about the rifles' design: Both are built around a gas-operated system that cuts down on moving parts, but requires consistent cleaning...
In 2007, the M4 fared worse than three other weapons—the Heckler & Koch HK416, the FN Herstal Mk16 Special Operations Combat Assault Rifle and the Heckler & Koch XM8—in comparative reliability testing conducted by the Army...
In Afghanistan, the Army has introduced the M14 Enhanced Battle Rifle, an upgraded version of the M14 rifle, which is chambered for a full-power rifle round that has a longer effective range than the M4 or M16. The Army is also experimenting with more futuristic infantry weapons in Afghanistan.
In parallel with the contest for a new rifles, the Army is considering additional improvements to the M4, including ambidextrous controls. The Army may also study alternatives to the rifle's gas operating system, according to an official fact sheet...
Write to Nathan Hodge at nathan.hodge@wsj.com
