Potential new Smart Rifle for Canadian Forces

[Oddmott]

http://www.drdc-rddc.gc.ca/en/dynami...gun%2Fi5xyz550

Looks quite sci-fi.

Can't wait for the next 10-15 years of debate over the cost and whether or not we need it. Just like every other attempt to adequately outfit our forces.

[Bluebulldog]

Yup. They'll buy a bunch of them, but once the $$$ is spent, they'll only be able to afford to put one regiment in the field.

[DGearyFTE]

Having read thru the various reports there is a good chance that these could be sold externally to Canada. If that happens then there is a good chance of reducing the costs thru increased volume of sales and reduction of NRE. Wait and see but it wouldn't be the first time something truly innovative was developed in Canada and not purchased for Canada...

[Snowwalker]

By the time the troops get them, everyone else will be using phaser and energy pulse weapons.
Nothing like attacking an enemy postion with 21 century slug throwers with a range of 300 yards when the guy your fighting has a three to six terawatt laser rifle with a 23 Km kill range.

[JBen]

DG
How does that work (realistically) with DnD procurement protocol?

By the time it produced overseas and then tendered....?

[DGearyFTE]

Often times the Defence Research establishments get funding to develop a prototype. At times they even have the funding to develop a production or pre-production version. At this point they run out of money since DND often has little or no funding to acquire developmental equipment given the costs and risks. So the Intellectual Property rights are sold to other countries (normally the USA) for trade-offs or considerations. At times the trade-off are in the form on intelligence data or access to the data.
In this instance the Army may actually see some in use given that they are not hugely expensive compared to new fighters or ships. Since DRDC is in bed with Colt Canada there are strong possbilities that the parent company may use it's position in the US market to sell to the US military and then provide funding to develop a civilian model for domestic use in the US.
We all know there is no way this would ever be anything other than prohibited in Canada...

[Oddmott]

Looks like a Liberal design and brings to mind something like the subs, buying only one kind of camo and light armoured vehicles they took to Afghanistan. Let's combine a bunch of stuff to make it look cool. Looks good until you think, weight will be an issue, height from prone also an issue, field stripping... probably an issue, parts replacement and interoperability (one piece breaks all 3 die???).

Read the article a little closer. Weight won't be an issue, integrated warfare systems are the future of small arms. If their need was just another AR style rifle... they'd get one of the multitude already nearly perfected.

This is something well beyond that.

Your ergonomics point (firing prone) is valid though. How do other bullpup rifles work in that regard? They all look pretty awkward.