U.S. Army To Start Acceptance Testing Of The XM25 Smart Grenade Launcher

Logan

16 Oct 2015

A most anticipated grenade launcher, the XM25 Counter Defilade Target Engagement System will soon start acceptance testing by the U.S. Army in early 2016. Designed by Orbital ATK, the XM25 is a next generation, semi-automatic airburst system that can take out enemies who are behind walls, foxholes, or in hard to reach places.

Looking futuristic alright, the XM25 CDTE is years in the making and is derived from XM29 OICW. It was initially used in Afghanistan in 2010 and malfunctions and budget cuts pushed the target fielding of the XM25 to 2017 instead of 2015. According to Orbital ATK, the XM25 "provides the soldier with a 300 percent to 500 percent increase in hit probability to defeat point, area and defilade targets out to 500 meters. The weapon features revolutionary high-explosive, airburst ammunition programmed by the weapon's target acquisition/fire control system (TA/FC)."

With the TA/FC, any soldier that has basic infantry rifleman skills can operate the XM25. All the soldier has to do is point to a target and the laser rangefinder will then decide when the airburst grenade explodes. If trying to dislodge enemy troops behind cover, they can set the grenade to detonate over their heads rather than on impact. What's even better is that soldiers don't have to expose themselves to have a proper shot. As for the projectiles that can be used with the XM25, it can be thermobaric, flechette, training, high-explosive airbursting and nonlethal.

An update with the XM25 before it undergoes testing next year is that it will be using a better, more powerful and streamlined optic. According to Military.com's Kit-Up! It is a more compact optic based on the feedback from soldiers who used it in Afghanistan. The streamlined design probably have removed some weight from an already bulky weapon system. With such improvement, the XM25 design has become different from what was originally used by the troops in Afghanistan.