SIG Sauer was awarded a contract by the U.S. Army in the down-select process for the branch’s Next Generation Squad Weapons (NGSW). The award encompasses the complete SIG Sauer system, consisting of 6.8 mm hybrid ammunition, a lightweight machine gun, rifle and suppressors. The company will provide single-source manufacturing for ammunition, weapons, and suppressors allowing for less risk and increased capability for the U.S. Army.
“The U.S. Army is leading the world in the first significant upgrade to small arms in decades to meet the growing demands of soldiers on the battlefield,” said Ron Cohen, president and CEO of SIG Sauer. “We are honored to have been selected for the Next Generation Squad Weapons program bringing increased lethality to the warfighter over the legacy weapons. At the core of our submission is our newly developed, high-pressure, 6.8 mm hybrid ammunition that is utilized in both weapons, and is a significant leap forward in ammunition innovation, design and manufacturing.”
The SIG Sauer 6.8 mm hybrid ammunition is designed for increased penetration at greater distances. Cohen continued, “Using patent-pending technology the SIG Sauer Ammunition division has engineered a completely new cartridge resulting in a more compact round, with increased velocity and accuracy, while delivering a substantial reduction in the weight of the ammunition.”
The primary objectives set forth by the U.S. Army for the NGSW-AR was a weapon with the firepower and range of a machine gun, coupled with the precision and ergonomics of a rifle. The company’s submission is an ultra-light, medium-caliber machine gun with AR ergonomics chambered in 6.8 mm hybrid ammunition. Features include quick-detach magazines, side-opening feed tray, increased available 1913 rail space for night vision and enablers, folding buttstock and suppressor.
Additionally, the Prototype Project Opportunity Notice (PPON) requirements were inclusive of an NGSW-Rifle. The SIG Sauer NGSW-Rifle submission, also chambered in the 6.8 mm hybrid, is lightweight and features a free-floating reinforced M-Lok handguard, side-charging handle, full ambidextrous controls, folding buttstock and suppressor.
“Both weapons are designed with features that will increase the capabilities of the soldier,” Cohen said. “The final component of the SIG Sauer Next Generation Weapons System is our suppressor, which through exhaustively researched design enhancements, reduces harmful backflow and signature.”
