Small Arms Fire Control System II XM116 40mm GMG/Machine Gun Targeting System

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by David Crane
david@defensereview.com


L-3 Brashear
(Land Combat Systems division) is currently manufacturing and Marketing an optical Ground Fire Control System called the XM116 Small Arms Fire Control System II (SAFCS II) for the GDATP MK-19 Mod 3 GMG high-impulse/high-velocity 40mm grenade machine gun, FNH M2HB .50 BMG MG (heavy machine gun), and other small arms systems. The XM116 SAFCS II is supposed to provide military warfighters with a 75% hit probability vs. the 12% hit probability afforded by traditional "iron sights". According to L-3 Brashear’s marketing literature, the XM116 SAFCS II "increases weapon lethality day or night, through battlefield obscurants and at distances in excess of 1,500 meters.

U.S. Army and Marine Corps gunners were reportedly able to…

increase their hit probability from 3% to 54% with a SAFCS II XM116 -outfitted MK-19 GMG in field tests. The system employs a 640×480 daylight sensor for aiding in daylight rangefinding, target engagment, and situational awareness, and utilizes an uncooled thermal sensor for night ops.
 

DefenseReview is going to attempt to find out if the SAFCS II XM116 optical targeting system can be adapted to the HK GMG (discussed in a previous DefRev article after we photographed it at International SOF Week/APBI), new FNH M3M MG (GAU-21 weapon system in U.S. Navy config) .50 BMG heavy machine gun, and other specific weapon systems. We’re also going to try to get ahold of as much testing data, field data, and operator feedback as possible, so we can see if the system actually lives up to the hype. In other words, Defense Review is going to attempt to ascertain just how accurate, reliable, and durable (and thus how effective) the SAFCS II XM116 truly is.  We’ll also try to acquire some high-res JPEGs of it being tested and utilized in actual operations.  
 

L-3 Brashear Land Combat Systems can be contacted by phone at 412-967-7700, by fax at 412-967-7973, and by email at sales.brashear@L-3Com.com.

Click here to view L-3 Brashear Land Combat Systems’ data sheet on the Small Arms Fire Control System II XM116 (SAFCS II XM116). The data sheet is in PDF format, so you’ll need Acrobat Reader to view it.

Click here to read a L-3 Brashear overview on the Small Arms Fire Control II (SAFCS II) XM116 from the NDIA 2002 International Infantry & Small Arms Symposium.

Click here to read more about the U.S. Navy’s adoption/procurement of the FNH M3M .50 BMG MG/GAU-21 Weapon System.  This page discusses some of the differences between the M3M/GAU-21 and M2HB.

Click here to read a Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) Navy NewsStand article on the U.S. Navy’s adoption/procurement of the FNH M3M .50 Cal. machine gun (MG)/GAU-21 Weapon System, titled NAVAIR Awards Contract for GAU-21 .50 Caliber Weapon System

Small Arms Fire Control System II XM116 40mm GMG/Machine Gun Targeting System by

About David Crane

David Crane started publishing online in 2001. Since that time, governments, military organizations, Special Operators (i.e. professional trigger pullers), agencies, and civilian tactical shooters the world over have come to depend on Defense Review as the authoritative source of news and information on "the latest and greatest" in the field of military defense and tactical technology and hardware, including tactical firearms, ammunition, equipment, gear, and training.

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