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Caliber: 25x59mm
Type: gas operated, belt fed automatic grenade launcher
Overall length: 1328 mm
Weight: 22.7 kg complete with tripod mount and sight / fire control unit
Effective range: up to 2000 m against point targets, 3600 m maximum
Rate of fire: 250 rounds per minute

The origins of the XM307 Advanced Crew Served Weapon (ACSW), also known as XM307 25mm Airbursting Weapon System, lie in the several military documents, published in USA during late 1980s. These documents stated that current small arms have reached its peak in development, and the only currently possible way to increase combat effectiveness and single-shot lethality of such weapons is do develop new guns that will fire air-bursting munitions with programmable fuses. Following these conclusions, US Army initiated development of several so-called Objective weapons; two most famous of these were XM29 Objective Individual Combat Weapon (OICW) and XM307 Objective Crew-Served Weapon (OCSW), currently renamed to Advanced Crew-Served Weapon (ACSW). After much development, the prime contractor for ACSW program was selected as General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products (GDATP). The development team for ACSW also includes General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems (air-bursting ammunition), Kaman Dayron Inc (programmable fuze) and Raytheon (computerized fire control system). First demonstrated in around 1999 as 25mm OCSW, at the present time (early 2006) the XM307 ACSW is on advanced stages of development, with several prototypes already tested with live ammunition, including air-bursting rounds. Initial plans called for first US Army units to be equipped with 25mm M307 ACSW weapons by 2008; M307 shall replace in service the older weapons like Mk.19 Mod.3 40mm grenade launchers and .50 caliber M2HB machine guns. For added versatility, XM307 can be easily converted to fire .50 caliber machinegun ammunition (12.7x99) with replacement of just 5 parts.

Jasus! Don't it look the business.

I've got a nasty feeling you could do as well with the 81mm Mortar. Certainly though 22 KG is very handy.

Is that barrel a plastic composite?

Yes, it is made of some type of composite materials..I dont belive plastic, but its possible..

It was featured on a show here called future weapons so I did some research on it.

It only weighs 50 lbs with tripod and all.

it can be converted to a .50 cal machine gun in under 2 minutes flat.

It was designed to be l;ight weight which is a huge factor in the field, and fire programmable air burst ammo to reduce collateral damage. It had pin poiont accuracy..The site reads the target, the info is then fed to the round which is programmed to burst at said distance.

It can feed a round through a hole in a wall or window at great distance, burst inside killing everyone inside, without causing building damage.

Is something like this so necessary for war?

Apparently, our govt and military seems to think so,thus the trillions spemnt on smart weaponry.

I say spend less and reap havoc, destroy it all! Afterall,

the media will get hold of some civilains killed, publicize and denounce the efforts anyway.

As I look at foto 1,It seems very reminiscent of a Waffen SS MG42 gun crew,,,, no?

My crews dig in better, and hold the belts clear of the cr*p. but that's MG 38.

There is a story that the German Stahlhelm was universally admired, but copies were forbidden by Soviet and British pressure because of WW2 associations.

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