XM25 CDTE
| XM25 Individual Airburst Weapon System | |
|---|---|
 XM25 in use by a U.S. Army soldier | |
| Type | Grenade launcher |
| Place of origin |  Germany |
| Service history | |
| In service | 2010-present |
| Used by | U.S. Army |
| Wars | War in Afghanistan |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Heckler & Koch, Alliant Techsystems |
| Manufacturer | Heckler & Koch, Alliant Techsystems |
| No. built | 5 |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 6.35 kg (14.0 lb) empty |
| Length | 737 mm (29.0 in) |
| Cartridge | 25 × 40 mm |
| Muzzle velocity | 690 ft/s (210 m/s) |
| Effective firing range | 550 yd (500 m) for point targets, 765 yd (700 m) for area targets |
| Maximum firing range | 1,100 yd (1,000 m) |
The XM25 Individual Airburst Weapon System (IAWS), also known as the Punisher, is an air burst grenade launcher derived from the XM29 OICW. It was fielded to soldiers serving in the War in Afghanistan and is projected to enter full-rate procurement in 2011.
Design
It fires 25 mm grenades that are set to explode in mid-air at or near the target. A laser rangefinder in the weapon is used to determine the distance to the target. The user can manually adjust the detonating distance by up to 10 feet (3.0 m) shorter or longer; the XM25 automatically transmits the detonating distance to the grenade in the firing chamber. The grenade tracks the distance it has traveled by the number of spiral rotations after it is fired,[1] then detonates at the proper distance to produce an air burst effect. These features make the XM25 more effective than traditional grenade launchers at the task of hitting targets that are behind cover or dug into the ground (i.e. in defilade.) One of the weapon's developers, Richard Audette, believes that the XM25 is a big leap forward because it is the first small arms weapon to use smart technology.[2]
The system has been developed by Heckler & Koch and Alliant Techsystems, while the target acquisition/fire control is developed by L-3 IOS Brashear.
Specifications
- Caliber: Low-velocity 25 × 40 mm grenade
- Thermobaric
- Flechette
- Training
- High-explosive airbursting round
- Non-lethal
- Armor Piercing
- Door breaching
- Operation: Gas operated semi-automatic
- System weight: 14 lb (6.4 kg)
- Target acquisition/fire control (XM104)
- Weight: 2.54 lb (1.15 kg)
- 4x thermal sight with zoom
- 2x direct view optical sight
- Ballistic computer
- Digital compass
- Laser rangefinder
- Ammunition fuze setter
- Environmental sensors
History
In the summer of 2010, the United States Army began field testing the XM25 in Afghanistan, with an initial per unit cost of the early models range from US$30,000 to $35,000. The Army plans to purchase 12,500 XM25s in 2011 at a cost of $25,000 each[3] and have them fielded by 2012, enough for one XM25 system in each infantry squad and special forces team.[4][5] According to U.S. Army project manager for new weapons, Colonel Douglas Tamilio, the rounds for the XM25 will cost about $24 apiece.[6]
Alliant Techsystems has indicated that the rifle may later use bullets with smaller explosive charges which will stun opponents rather than killing them.[6]
Five of the weapons were deployed with the 101st Airborne Division in Afghanistan in October of 2010, along with 1,000 hand-made air-burst rounds. The soldiers reported that the weapon was extremely effective at killing or neutralizing enemy combatants firing on US troops from covered positions. The US troops have nicknamed the weapon, "The Punisher."[7] First contact was 3 December 2010. As of February 2011, the weapon has been fired 55 times at a price of $1000 each, but price is expected to be $35 per shot when in full production, scheduled from 2012.[8]
Program status
- April 2005 - First prototypes are delivered to the U.S. Army for field-testing.[9]
- September 2005 - Test firing by regular troops at Grafenwöhr Training Area.[10]
- Summer 2009 - Field tests in Iraq or Afghanistan.[1]
- November 2010 - Preliminary deployment in Afghanistan.[11]
- 3 December 2010 - First contact[8]
- 2013 - Scheduled to begin low-rate initial production [12]
See also
- Barrett XM109
- XM307
- Mk 47 Striker
- PAW-20
- List of individual weapons of the U.S. Armed Forces
- Daewoo K11
- XM8 rifle
References
- ^ a b Kleiner, Kurt (6 June 2009). "Radio-controlled bullets leave no place to hide". New Scientist. Retrieved 14 June 2009.
- ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/11876041
- ^ Grant, Greg. "Army Sending Precision Grenade Launcher to Afghanistan". Defense Tech. Retrieved 6 May 2010.
- ^ Cox, Matthew. "New XM25 and M240 due to hit war zones soon". Army Times. Retrieved 19 May 2010.
- ^ Miller, Joshua (28 November 2010). "U.S. Army Unveils 'Revolutionary' XM25 Rifle in Afghanistan". Fox News. Retrieved 28 November 2010.
- ^ a b "No hiding place from new U.S. Army rifles that use radio-controlled smart bullets". Daily Mail. London. 30 November 2010. Retrieved 30 November 2010.
- ^ Lowe, Christian, "‘Punisher’ Gives Enemy No Place to Hide", Military.com, 3 February 2011, retrieved 7 February 2011.
- ^ a b Bacon, Lance M. ‘Punisher’ gets its first battlefield tests Armytimes.com, 14 February 2011. Accessed: 18 February 2011.
- ^ ATK Delivers First XM25 Prototypes to U.S. Army for Testing and Evaluation
- ^ Soldiers test new weapons at Grafenwöhr - EUCOM
- ^ Miller, Joshua (28 November 2010). "U.S. Army Unveils 'Revolutionary' XM25 Rifle in Afghanistan". Fox News. Retrieved 30 November 2010.
- ^ [1]
External links
- XM25 Airburst Weapon System - ATK
- Program Executive Office Soldier (PDF)
- XM25 grenade launcher - Modern Firearms
- XM25 Airburst Weapons System - Global Security
- Green Berets will receive Judge Dredd computer smart-rifle
- Military.com - A First Look at the XM25 [dead link]
