Procurement News Notice |
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| PNN | 1754 |
| Work Detail | Delays and price hikes have plagued the Army's XM25 launcher acquisition, but a major program decision could come as early as the end of the calendar year. A Defense Department Inspector General's Office report outlining some of the program's failings advises the Army's assistant secretary of acquisitions, logistics and technology to "proceed with or cancel" the program "after reviewing the results of the 2016 Governmental testing," which the report says could wrap up by November. That major decision would come after six years without a program milestone, according to the report. That doesn't mean nothing's happened: The launcher malfunctioned at least three times during field tests in Afghanistan -- once each in 2011, 2012 and 2013. The report blames those malfunctions on inadequate training. The weapon was pulled from the war zone after the 2013 incident, according to a Military.com report, which outlined other issues raised by Army Rangers about the XM25's weight (14 pounds) and limited capacity (five 25mm grenade rounds). The XM25, known as the "Punisher," is designed to allow users to control the detonation point of its explosive rounds, letting soldiers engage with targets behind walls, for instance, or in other places where traditional line-of-sight weapons would prove inadequate. A 2013 memo from the commanding general of the Maneuver Center of Excellence raised concerns similar to those put forward by the Rangers, especially regarding a perceived drop in war-fighting capacity if a soldier turns in his rifle to carry the launcher. The officer's name is not provided in the report, but then-Maj. Gen. H.R. McMaster led the MCoE from mid-2012 into 2014. |
| Country | Sweden , Northern Europe |
| Industry | Defence |
| Entry Date | 02 Sep 2016 |
| Source | https://www.armytimes.com/articles/major-decision-on-troubled-xm25-could-come-later-this-year |
