Just got a chance to look a couple of them over pretty neat... All it is a 249 on steroids ie shoots the 7.62... It is preety light compared to a 240B. Soldiers should be happy a light weight machine gun, that fires the 7.62.

I should also note these MK48 look like the para saw not the regualr saws... For those of you that know the difference between the para saw and std saw... So they went and shot them today and everyone was impressed with them... Finally a lightweight machine gun these thing weight 18lbs compared to 27 lbs for the 240B... NO need for the M1A1/M-14....

Then I can pretty much say that this new gun will get trashed as fast (or faster as it's a larger caliber) as the "SAW" when it gets fielded in large numbers. As one who worked in Depoe Firearms Maintenance, and from watching the troops with their weapons for the last eight months, I think I can safely say that lighter isn't always better. I'd rather dump the frigging body armor than give up a good reliable machine gun.

Eric

COB Adder, Iraq

You know some guys in other battalions had your same mind set heck with this heavy IOTV lets just cache it and continue on our patrol up the hills... Well 1st firefight one of the guys gets shot and everyone was like damn maybe their is a reason they want us to wear body armor after that they all pretty much decided they better wear the body armor. Yes the Army could go to palte carriers but they don;t have the sideplates??? I would love to see the Army go to plate carriers hell if they are good enough for the Spec Ops they are good enough for us regular joes in the Army.

You know pal, when I first came in the Army the MOPP suit was a freaking poncho, and your mask, and your leather gloves. No fooling.

So. Today I get to wear ANOTHER 35 pounds on top of all the other gear I have to wear, and I'm supposed to run? Nah, I don't think so. And this is a funny war. The first one I've ever seen where people expect that they won't get shot, 'cause I've got body armor.

Lemme see, we'll slow everybody down, cook them in that there "turtle shell" for ten or twelve hours, and hopefully they won't be all stupid from dehydration when the stuff does hit the fan. Yea, good plan.

I'm convinced, absolutely convinced, that every day I have to wear that thing, it sucks a day of my life away. Swell.

Hey I agree with you man the ITOV sucks ass... Thier has to be better designs out thier... How many of these Soldeir are going to have serious back problems 10-20 yrs down the road and whatever else, hell some already do...