ATK XM29 OICW

The XM29, developed by Alliant Techsystems and H&K, is a critical part of the Land Warrior Project. Although never put into active service, it is a part of many video games and films, including the famous game 'Half Life,' and the James Bond movie, 'Die Another Day'.

Its aim is to empower the infantry soldier for close combat fighting many times over; the weapon actually enhances the soldier's possibilities through its sheer excellence. It is classified as an OICW or Objective Individual Combat Weapon, that makes a highly innovate next generation weapon.

The priorities of the Land Warrior Project are - lethality, survivability, command and control. The XM 29 is designed to fulfill these important criterions. As one of the most important and sophisticated in the new Program Manager Soldier Weapons Office in the Program Executive Office Soldier Systems, it is way ahead in design and capabilities.

The most commonly used version of the XM29 consists of a semiautomatic 20 mm smart grenade launcher. It has an underslung assault carbine that fires standard 5.56 x 45 mm NATO rounds. It also has a top-mounted computer-assisted sighting system with integrated laser rangefinder, thermal night vision capabilities, and up to 6x optical telescopic sight.

The unique, full-solution target acquisition or fire control system has been combined with highly accurate a 0mm air bursting ammunition. This ensures overmatch capabilities that add to the reliability in modern warfare, and of course as the specifications indicate increases soldier survivability dramatically. In the early years of its development, XM29 prototypes were successfully tested with the newest 20 mm HEAB or High Explosive Air Bursting munitions. However the gas operated launcher is capable of firing in semi-automatic mode only.
The bullpup layout ensures that the action and magazine are located behind the trigger, increasing barrel length in relation to its weapon length, and the removable box magazine are located in the butt of the weapon. The rifled barrel can launch 20 mm grenades up to 1,000 meters, with amazing accuracy.

The launchers have the provisions for the Tactical Automated Fire Control System that is mounted on the top. The data provided from it can be used to program the 20 mm grenade fuses. This has a safety and arming device that is SAU based on MEMS or Micro ElectroMechanical Systems technology. Highly advanced it has multiple function modes that include direct impact and airburst. In the airburst mode the fuse is pre-programmed to detonate the warhead. The preset range is calculated by measuring the distance to the target. The amount of turns the projectile will make to reach that distance is also calculated. This data is fed into the fuse before firing, which can now count the number of rotations taken and detonate the warheads exactly when the correct amount of turns has been reached. The result - direct impact! The fragmentation produced by the warhead's airburst detonation help in the attack of multiple targets with one ammunition. This makes it easy to hit targets in formation, hidden places, behind wall etc. As it is not dependent of its kinetic energy to be effective, sit can be sued in increasing ranges. However this firearm is very heavy, it weighs in at about five and a half kilograms when empty, almost seven when loaded

The system is about 500% more effective than present small arms. Its cost and complexity of manufacture has been the inhibiting factor, and full-scale development has not taken place, after all it is too expensive to be lost in battle.

Also the final prototypes of the XM29 weighed about five and a half kilograms when empty, and nearly seven when loaded, so the soldier could get bogged down. .

The ATK XM29 is a weapon of tomorrow, what has to be seen if it can be developed at a much lower unit cost, at a much lower weight to be truly effective.