Army Receives Textron-Built Automatic Rifle Prototype

Textron Systems has delivered an automatic rifle prototype to the U.S. Army for an initial demonstration under the military service’s Next Generation Squad Weapon-Technology program.

The Joint Services Small Arms Program and the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Armaments Center received the first of the five NGSW-T prototype demonstrators from Textron, the company said Monday.

The small rifle prototype is based on the firm's Cased-Telescoped Weapons and Ammunition technology.

Wayne Prender, senior vice president of applied technologies and advanced programs at Textron Systems, said it took 15 months for the company to develop and deliver the weapon since the contract award.

Prender added the CT technology is designed to increase the lethality of the small arms weapon at a longer range.

NGSW demonstrations aim to provide the Army with information on how to reduce weapon and ammunition weight, suppress weapon sound and integrate fire control technology.

Textron is contracted to develop another weapon under the Army’s Next Generation Squad Automatic Rifle- Prototype Opportunity Notice program and expects to demonstrate its NGSAR offering by June.