Farewell Ma Duce

[old_pop2000]

Article on the replacement for th 75 year old, Browning .50 caliber Machine gun. Weight comparison is 53 lbs. for the XM312 versus 128 lbs for the Ma Duce.

http://www.defense-update.com/newscast/0508/news/news1505_lw05mg.htm

In another note, the venerable A-10 Warthog is not scheduled for retirement by the USAF until 2028. I guess they finally realized that a simple aircraft with a big gun can still kill targets better than a fast mover.

[Ed Rotondaro]

Article on the replacement for th 75 year old, Browning .50 caliber Machine gun. Weight comparison is 53 lbs. for the XM312 versus 128 lbs for the Ma Duce.

http://www.defense-update.com/newscast/0508/news/news1505_lw05mg.htm

In another note, the venerable A-10 Warthog is not scheduled for retirement by the USAF until 2028. I guess they finally realized that a simple aircraft with a big gun can still kill targets better than a fast mover.

Dennis:

All I can say is it better work, 'cause the Ma Duce got the job done and still looks badass. Wonder if my kids will want one?

[keschofield]

Article on the replacement for th 75 year old, Browning .50 caliber Machine gun. Weight comparison is 53 lbs. for the XM312 versus 128 lbs for the Ma Duce.

http://www.defense-update.com/newscast/0508/news/news1505_lw05mg.htm

In another note, the venerable A-10 Warthog is not scheduled for retirement by the USAF until 2028. I guess they finally realized that a simple aircraft with a big gun can still kill targets better than a fast mover.


Lets just hope that we don't end up with a complicated, hard to maintain, easy to break, expensive flop to replace this venerable, reliable, deadly old war winner.

Can you tell that I don't have a lot of faith in our current defense industry? :cool: I don't care if the contractor/builder makes a profit or not. I want the troops to have the best possible, most reliable, easiest to use, most deadly to the enemy weapons that we can give them.

No political discussion here please and I hope that I am proved totally wrong. Nothing would make me happier.

[Mike Malanaphy]

Lets just hope that we don't end up with a complicated, hard to maintain, easy to break, expensive flop to replace this venerable, reliable, deadly old war winner.

Can you tell that I don't have a lot of faith in our current defense industry? :cool: I don't care if the contractor/builder makes a profit or not. I want the troops to have the best possible, most reliable, easiest to use, most deadly to the enemy weapons that we can give them.

No political discussion here please and I hope that I am proved totally wrong. Nothing would make me happier.

Hi,

I hope so too. Once the head space and timing were correctly set, all you neded was a can of 30 weight oil to keep her going! The .50 cal is heavy for a number of reasons including barrel temp and the ability of the receiver to stand up to prolonged firing over years of peace and war. The replacement offers substantailly lees weight and recoil and I wonder what the design tradeoffs were. It would be interesting to know the rationale for ground use of the gun with dismounted infantry use. The only real advantage I see is the ablility to outrange rifle caliber weapons of your opponent. Even the lighter machine gun is a two or three person load, not to mention the weight of ammunition it would consume.

I like the .50 cal in vehicles and alwyas enjoyed the opportunity to frire it.

[Ed Rotondaro]

Lets just hope that we don't end up with a complicated, hard to maintain, easy to break, expensive flop to replace this venerable, reliable, deadly old war winner.

Can you tell that I don't have a lot of faith in our current defense industry? :cool: I don't care if the contractor/builder makes a profit or not. I want the troops to have the best possible, most reliable, easiest to use, most deadly to the enemy weapons that we can give them.

No political discussion here please and I hope that I am proved totally wrong. Nothing would make me happier.

Kurt:

Reminds me of some of the stuff you see on "Future Weapons" on the Discovery Channel. They look good in the demos, but only field service will tell you if they can stand the test of time. The whole idea of a lighter heavy machine gun has been around since the 1980s and so far nobody has knocked Ma Duce off of her post.

[ksf1973]

I think they actually showed the XM-307/-312 on Future Weapons once.

[Ed Rotondaro]

I think they actually showed the XM-307/-312 on Future Weapons once.

KS:

Yes, I remember that show. Very impressive. When did you join the team and why didn't Chris tell us?

[asnrobert]

KS:

Yes, I remember that show. Very impressive. When did you join the team and why didn't Chris tell us?

Actually, I think he did, in the SAS beta test thread.

[Citadelvette]

Kurt:

Reminds me of some of the stuff you see on "Future Weapons" on the Discovery Channel. They look good in the demos, but only field service will tell you if they can stand the test of time. The whole idea of a lighter heavy machine gun has been around since the 1980s and so far nobody has knocked Ma Duce off of her post.

I have a feeling the light .50 cal won't live up to the new expectations nor fill Ma Duce's shoes and Ma Duce will return just as many M1911s and M14s have in the GWOT.:cool: Long live Ma Duce!