One soldier, 500 rounds 7.62

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Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
There is a new system to feed ammunition that allows one soldier to carry 500 rounds of 7.62 in his backpack to feed his weapon. Previously it took two soldiers, one being an ammo carrier. The new system frees the second soldier for other duties.

LiveLeak.com - IRONMAN Ammunition Backpack - 500 Rounds Of Firepower

I would hate to be the guy that has to carry all that weight. We seem to want to require our soldiers to carry more and more "stuff" with each passing day. Yet, when I talk to today's combat vets the biggest complaint I hear, as far as equipment goes, is having to carry too much and how it cuts down on their mobility. It is a cool idea.
 

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Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
IF one soldier was carrying that M60 AND 500 rounds, we are talking heavy. The ammo would weight in right about 45# and the gun at 23#. That is 68#. Add that to another 40# that every soldier carries and we are talking a LOT of weight and greatly reduced mobility. Seems to me this is an attempt to do too much with too few people.
 

skyraider

Veteran Expediter
US Navy
IF one soldier was carrying that M60 AND 500 rounds, we are talking heavy. The ammo would weight in right about 45# and the gun at 23#. That is 68#. Add that to another 40# that every soldier carries and we are talking a LOT of weight and greatly reduced mobility. Seems to me this is an attempt to do too much with too few people.


Some former soldier friends of mine said they carried easy 120 lbs into battle, I would weigh 300 lbs if I did that,,no way,,,you have to be young and even that is still tough, hard to believer the human body can do that. There are lots of guys with ankle and knee problems now, but you don't hear about that.
 

layoutshooter

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
Some former soldier friends of mine said they carried easy 120 lbs into battle, I would weigh 300 lbs if I did that,,no way,,,you have to be young and even that is still tough, hard to believer the human body can do that. There are lots of guys with ankle and knee problems now, but you don't hear about that.

Part of the reason my son was medically retired was due to knee problems. Too much work, too few people.
 

LDB

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
I figured the ammo, belt or whatever they're calling it, and backpack around 52-54 pounds. If there's a way to limit what else the soldier must carry to 10-15 pounds it could be a relatively good system. Or if they get that exoskeletal system working well that could also make it a good system. With the exo system they might even go to 750-1000 rounds of ammo.
 
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