In July, the U.S. Army held an industry day for its Next Generation Squad Automatic Rifle (NGSAR)—the intended replacement for the M249 SAW (Squad Automatic Weapon)—at Fort Benning. Now the service has announced a second industry day for the NGSAR.
According to the amendment added to the original posting on FedBizOpps, the Army will present additional information regarding the ammunition for the NGSAR at the second industry day, which is set for Tuesday, Dec. 12, and Wednesday, Dec. 13, at Picatinny Arsenal in Morris County, N.J.
The event will be open to foreign companies. The “appropriate US citizen appointees” of such companies with stateside locations will be required to sign an NDA and a couple of other forms before receiving the information, the listing says. Only two representatives from each company will attend, as per the listing. In addition, companies are allowed to submit a white paper after the industry day, not exceeding 20 pages in length, by no later than Jan. 16, 2018.
The Army laid out its general requirements for the NGSAR in the original FBO listing, which states that the rifle “will combine the firepower and range of a machine gun with the precision and ergonomics of a carbine, yielding capability improvements in accuracy, range, and lethality.”
Meanwhile, the listing says the NGSAR will be used against close and long-range targets in every conceivable terrain and condition. It also says the weapon should be “compatible with and dependent on legacy optics and night vision devices,” as well as the “Small Arms Fire Control system currently in development and possess back-up sights.”
Overmatch will be achieved “killing stationary, and suppressing moving, threats out to 600 meters (T), and suppressing all threats to a range of 1200 meters (O),” the Army says.
The NGSAR, with the sling, bipod and sound suppressor included, will weigh no more than 12 pounds, eight ounces empty. The ammo weight should be “20 percent less than tactical brass equivalent caliber ammunition (T) 50% (O),” the listing states.
While the Next Generation Squad Automatic Rifle will replace the M249 SAW, the Army was also asked during a Q&A session at the first industry day if the new weapon will lead to other systems or replace weapons other than the M249. The service replied that the “government has a decision point in FY19 to determine if the NGSAR will be able to fulfill additional roles such as that of the squad designated marksman, medium machine gun, and the carbine.”
To view the full listing, go to fbo.gov.
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