Texas-based ammunition and weapon system manufacturer True Velocity Ammo and FN America, a global leader in the development and manufacture of military small arms, have announced a strategic licensing and manufacturing partnership for the production of True Velocity’s .338 Norma Lightweight Medium Machine Gun for U.S. and Allied military units.

The partnership positions FN America as a primary manufacturer of True Velocity’s .338 Norma machine gun, a recoil-mitigated weapon system designed to provide warfighters with range and terminal performance similar to that of the century-old .50-caliber M2 machine gun in a lightweight, functional profile comparable to that of the ubiquitous M240 machine gun also manufactured by FN America.

“True Velocity’s .338 machine gun will change the battlefield for our warfighters. We are thrilled that FN will join with us so we can equip U.S. and Allied militaries with this combat advantage,” said True Velocity President and Chief Intellectual Property Officer Craig Etchegoyen. “It very quickly became clear that FN is a world-renowned, reliable, and respected manufacturer of innovative machine guns, and we’re excited for them to join our mission.”

A lightweight machine gun solution chambered for the .338 Norma cartridge has been a focal point of requirements emerging from the U.S. Department of Defense and Allied militaries in recent years. In March 2024, the United States Department of Defense selected True Velocity’s .338 Norma Lightweight Medium Machine Gun for continued evaluation in a military program aimed at fielding a weapon system that would bridge the performance gap between the .50-caliber M2 machine gun and the M240 machine gun chambered for 7.62x51mm NATO. The combination of True Velocity’s recoil-mitigated .338 Norma Lightweight Medium Machine Gun and its advanced, lightweight composite-cased ammunition provides a turn-key combat solution capable of enhanced controllability, maximized maneuverability, and extreme precision at extended range.

“FN America is extremely excited to partner with True Velocity on this effort to deliver the next medium machine gun to the U.S. military,” said Mark Cherpes, President and CEO for FN America, LLC. “Both companies share that drive and desire to innovate and deliver game-changing technology to the warfighter. This has produced a really great team environment on this effort.”

Incorporating proprietary “impulse-averaging recoil mitigation” technology, True Velocity’s .338 Norma machine gun delivers a 300-grain projectile with enhanced range and precision, while optimizing controllability and maintaining a profile similar to that of the M240 belt-fed machine gun, which is chambered for the smaller, less energetic 7.62x51mm cartridge.

“True Velocity’s lightweight medium machine gun submission is the product of more than a decade of continued innovation and rigorous evaluation,” said True Velocity Senior Executive Vice President of Sales Kevin Sims. “This weapon system delivers unprecedented tactical and operational capabilities to our American warfighters. The sooner we bring it to the battlefield, the better.”

The purpose of the LMG-M is to bridge the gap between the M2 and M240 machine guns. The program’s objectives are to deliver a man-portable system that has overmatch capability over opposing enemy 7.62x54R machine guns. The LMG-M’s performance should be close to that of a .50 caliber machine gun in terms of engagement distance, however, the smaller 300-grain projectiles used in the 338 NM will not have the kinetic energy of a 660+ grain projectile fired from a 50 BMG. In addition, there is a growing need for lightweight systems for aircraft and side-by-side type vehicles. In many cases, these heavy gun systems exceed the total system weight (weapon, ammunition feed systems, and ammunition) allowable for operation on these vehicles. They need a lighter-weight option going forward.

To understand the program’s objectives, let’s take a closer look at the systems the LMG-M is designed to replace.

OLD FAITHFUL – THE M2 MACHINE GUN

The LMG-M system is designed to replace John M. Browning’s masterpiece, the .50 caliber/12.7x99mm M2 (“Ma Deuce”) heavy machine gun. This iconic weapon has dominated the battlefield for the last 91 years. It’s been in service since 1933, with no end in sight. “Replace” is probably not the right word. As mentioned, the U.S. M2 will be around for the foreseeable future. The .338 LMG-M is going to replace it in some applications. Why? Because the LMG-M is going to be around 25 pounds versus the 84 pounds of the M2. That’s nearly a 50-pound difference. A complete M2 system including optics, M3 tripod, spare barrel (required because of heat issues), and 400 rounds of ammunition weighs 288 pounds. This is clearly not a single-man portable system; it takes a small team to utilize this weapon.

In a vehicle situation where 4000 rounds are likely present, you now have 1320 pounds of ammo. This additional weight is not an issue in an Abrahams tank, however, it is a no-go for smaller vehicles and modern side-by-sides. Next, of course, is aircraft. This system is far too heavy for many small aircraft and helicopters. I’m sure drones will come into the conversation here too. The M2 and 1320 pounds of ammo is probably a no-go scenario for a typical drone, however, a lighter LMG-M with lightweight ammunition is a different story.

The LMG-M concept is man-portable and considerably lighter, a boon not only for infantry, but for other weight-conscious applications such as in aircraft, boats, or vehicles. The weight of the machine gun and ammo makes a very compelling argument for a lighter-weight weapon and ammo.

LIGHT AND PORTABLE – THE M240 MACHINE GUN

To go a little deeper into history, we need to also discuss the U.S. M240 machine gun in 7.62x51mm. This is the little brother to the .50 cal M2. The LMG-M will become the middle child in the family and have middle child syndrome to boot. The LMG-M is also going to partially replace the M240. Just as with the M2, we foresee the M240 being around for a very long time. The M240 fires the 7.62x51mm cartridge. The M240 has been in service since 1977 and was an upgrade for the prior M60 that was in service since 1957. This system is man-portable and vehicle- and aircraft-mountable. A complete system for this weapon including optics, M192 tripod, spare barrel, and 800 rounds of ammunition is 101 pounds, making it very possible to carry in a multi-person team.

THE OVERMATCH PROBLEM

In the U.S. war in Afghanistan, the troops on the ground had a major problem. These teams would come up against the enemy with the non-standard PKM machine gun firing the 7.62x54mm R caliber (R= rimmed for the protruding rim from original cartridge designs to be easier to extract) that has an effective range of 1500 meters. Troops equipped with this weapon had overmatch capability on U.S. and NATO forces. This has been a known issue for decades, however, the U.S. has been involved in few conflicts where it was a major issue, as it is in the open deserts of Afghanistan.

The overmatch issue is probably driving about 60-70% of the need for the LMG-M. The other 30-40% is the need to reduce the weight of the current machine gun for use in numerous vehicles, boats, and aircraft. A modern, lightweight attack vehicle could not handle carrying a .50 caliber system with 1000 rounds of ammo. Included in that percentage is the capability to be single-man portable, where something in the target weight range would be mission-changing.

Since we are talking machine guns, it’s appropriate to include in our comparison the Soviet-era PK machine gun our allied forces face in the field. The original PK has been in service since 1961. It was designed by probably the world’s number two machine gun designer (after Browning), Mikhail Kalashnikov. The improved PKM variant went into Soviet service in 1969. There are nearly eight variants. It has seen action in as many as 36 conflicts around the globe. The fully equipped weapon is estimated to weigh 65 pounds with bipod, optic, spare barrel, and 800 rounds of ammunition.

THE OBJECTIVE OF SOCOM’s LMG-M PROGRAM

The objectives of the LMG-M program are as follows; to supply a lightweight medium machine gun with the following capabilities and features:

• Weight less than 31.1 pounds (threshold) and (objective) 23 pounds with fully equipped with rail, handle, bipod, buttstock, and suppressor.
• Length less than 61 inches (threshold) and (objective) 56 pounds with fully equipped with rail, handle, bipod, buttstock, and suppressor.
• Barrel changes without tools in less than 10 seconds (threshold).
• Minimum velocity of 2400 fps.
• Trigger pull between 8 and 16 pounds.
• Average mean radius (accuracy): single shot not to exceed 6 MOA (threshold) and 3 MOA (objective)at 100 meters.
• Cyclic rate of 450-750 rounds per minute (threshold) and 550 +/- 25 rpm (objective).
• Capable of 125 rounds at a maximum rate of fire without catastrophic failure both unsuppressed and suppressed.
• Recommended 1:8-inch twist.
• 8,000 round barrel life (threshold) and 15,000 (objective).

Keeping in mind that the U.S. government often asks for near-impossible things, it’s doubtful that any weapon will meet all of these criteria 100%. Then it becomes a guessing game about which of the criteria is deemed more important. For example, would a shorter weapon that is lighter, however less accurate, be preferred over a longer, heavier, and more accurate weapon? How much weight and length are worth the potential sacrifice? The government typically uses a matrix. The scoring parameters and the value of particular scores can only be guessed, depending on the winners and losers.

THE CURRENT CONTENDERS

The LMG-M contract competitors are (in alphabetical order):

• True Velocity
• Ohio Ordnance Works
• SIG Sauer

THE CURRENT STATUS OF THE PROGRAM

Back in 2020, SIG Sauer’s MMG 338 passed safety certification and the company delivered a small quantity (estimated at 8 to 12 units) to SOCOM. These were early weapons to evaluate. It seems like there was a period when the manufacturers were willing to let the government evaluate the weapons while they still had time to make changes. It appears that, over the last several months, the competitors have been more secretive about the status of their weapons.

The program was held up waiting for ammunition to be used to evaluate the machine guns. The delay was due to projectile issues, COVID-19-related issues, and vendor changes. The government believed that they needed their ammunition to fairly evaluate the machine guns. This is probably a good idea in general, as most of the manufacturers might have their weapons function with ammunition of their choosing and maybe not function as well with another type of 338 ammunition. However, the links are different for all three manufacturers’ weapons. However, I’m told that all the links are close enough that they “should” run in the competitors’ weapons. Nonetheless, no one is going to take that chance in a competitive environment.

During the SOFWEEK conference In May 2023, Lt. Col. John “Tosh” Lancaster, program manager for U.S. Special Operations Command’s lethality acquisitions, told Defense News that the lightweight medium machine gun is scheduled to field in fiscal 2026. He also told the outlet that SOCOM is still actively looking for the accessories and suite of ammunition needed for the weapon.

Back on February 7, 2024, the competitors delivered three weapons. As of April 30th, 2024, the competitors will need to deliver a total of 12 weapons for a 10,000-round endurance test. Supplied kits included a conversion barrel to 7.62x51mm and testing for this was an “indeterminate” amount. I assume this means more than the 10,000 338 Norma Mag rounds. They also were required to submit 125,000 bare links to run the unlinked 338 Multipurpose ammunition delivered by UDC USA in support of this contract back in 2022-2023. The manufacturers are also to provide the complete technical data package (TDP).

Now, here’s a breakdown of the companies and weapons that have been submitted to SOCOM for its LMG-M contract.

TRUE VELOCITY RM 338

True Velocity, known for its lightweight ammunition, has the oldest design in the field. The company is in Dallas, TX. Their weapon is the RM 338 for Recoil Mitigation.

The True Velocity contract entry was originally designed and built by the General Dynamics Saco facility back in 2012. To GD’s credit, it saw a capability gap between the 7.62×51 M240 and the non-standard PK machine gun. In around a year, the company developed its weapon, an amazingly fast task for a big, slow-turning ship like GD. However, GD was not rewarded for its Herculean effort. The product of its labor was on display at trade shows for several years while the overmatch issue was hotly debated through 2016. Then, the weapon went out of the public eye for a year or two. Once SOCOM started talking about the LMG-M requirement in around 2017, GD’s machine gun was back in the spotlight. It was part of a Combating Terrorism Technical Support Office (CTTSO) Irregular Warfare project from several years ago.

True Velocity acquired the rights to GD’s weapon system in the 2021 timeframe and, soon after, started a sister company that you might have seen associated with the company’s machine development gun effort, Lone Star Future Weapons. This is more of a holding company set up by True Velocity to house the machine gun’s intellectual property.

This weapon visually resembles a slightly upsized M240 Bravo. This is a tried-and-true weapon system. The receiver assembly, cover plate, barrel assembly, and trigger housing assembly all look similar to the M240. The recoil mitigation system is impressive. True Velocity is proud that an operator can fire the RM 338 on targets at 1500 meters and continuously see the point of impact. They say they can also walk and fire the weapon. It’s an amazing weapon and is a serious contender. Its age makes it a little less interesting because it’s been around nearly forever. However, its maturity is a great thing for conservative, risk-averse government selection teams.

The weapon, fully equipped for combat with optics, an M192 tripod, a spare barrel, and 500 rounds of linked ammunition weights 102.7 pounds. Note, this is the weight with the 300-grain projectile, while SOCOM’s multi-purpose ammunition is 272 grains. Running the government ammo will reduce the overall load by two to three pounds for the 500-round load-out.

I had the pleasure of firing the True Velocity RM 338 in Las Vegas in April 2022. It’s an impressive weapon. The recoil was very minimal. It cycled like a champ. It seemed accurate; however, we were not shooting on paper, so accuracy was hard to gauge. It feels very familiar to standard machine gun designs. I’m told that it’s had millions of rounds fired through it over the last 12 years. It’s going to work, and work well.

An interesting point is their connection with polymer ammunition. SOCOM originally expressed an interest in lightweight ammo to go along with the weapon. They have placed this desire on hold for now. To meet government standards, qualification of the lightweight ammo could take years (or decades) depending on the approach.

As a salient aside, three weeks ago, True Velocity filed a lawsuit against SIG Sauer in Vermont’s Chittenden Superior Court alleging SIG Sauer stole True Velocity’s recoil mitigation concept by hiring its former employees and used it in its SIG-MMG 338 SOCOM LMG-M submission.

OHIO ORDNANCE WORKS REAPR

Ohio Ordnance Works (OOW), located in Charon, Ohio, was the third company to enter the competition. It specializes in making numerous machine guns, including the M240 and the M2. So, the company is highly qualified and has been around since 1992, pointing to them as a well-established, reliable contractor in the arms manufacturing space. This is a major move for OOW since they traditionally manufacture older designed weapons. Their efforts started before 2020 when patents were filed.

The machine gun is called the Recoil Enhanced Automatic Precision Rifle or REAPR, for short, and its design is pretty impressive. The patented sliding feed tray is unique and purposeful. It’s so unique that it is going to need a lot of testing for the government to feel comfortable with it. It’s probably a game-changer. Having tons of optics mounted and never moving them is a huge deal. Per OOW staff, this gives them the most rail space of any of the guns in the competition. The other big win is the breakdown into three pieces to be backpack-carriable. The barrel is just under 25 inches (and would be the longest part), so we are not talking about a giant pack, here. That makes this a one-man system, with a small load of linked ammunition.

I got behind a gun at a special event in Las Vegas in April 2022. It’s really impressive. I know they have fired a ton of ammo over those last few years, so they are trying hard to catch up to the time the other systems have in the space. It seems like they have closed the gap. They fully released the weapon as the REAPR at SHOT 2024. This was strategic to ensure none of its competitors could copy anything from the weapon before the submission was due a very short time later. It is currently capable and has been fired in 338 Norma Mag and 7.62x51mm.

SIG SAUER SIG-MMG 338

SIG Sauer, Inc. was the second company to enter the competition with its SIG-MMG 338. It has two New Hampshire locations for weapon manufacturing and an Arkansas facility for ammunition manufacturing. SIG Sauer was founded in 1976 in Germany. The original SIG Sauer has undergone several corporate transformations and is now two independently operated brands owned by the German management group L&O Holding; the small Swiss manufacturer, SIG Sauer AG, and the much larger American firearm manufacturer, SIG Sauer, Inc. All references to SIG Sauer in this article point to the American company, SIG Sauer, Inc.

The weapon seems like a cross between an M240 and other modern SIG weapons. It does have a short-stroke gas piston system and a SIG proprietary recoil reduction system. In a deviation from the standard M240 style cover, the feed tray cover is a side-opening. This has advantages over non-moving optics. It has other modern features like a folding stock, a quick-change barrel, and a compact suppressor.

SIG had already provided samples to the government in early 2020. It’s been demonstrating the weapon at numerous range events around the country. I was able to shoot the weapon in Las Vegas in April 2022. It’s an impressive weapon with reasonable recoil. Unfortunately, the machine gun’s accuracy was hard to evaluate since we were not shooting paper targets. The gun functioned flawlessly. The only complaint I have concerns the suppressor and all the gas blowing back at the shooter. This can be addressed with a different suppressor. All the demos and public exposure have SIG’s effort positioned in the early lead of the competition. Their SIG-MMG 338 has had lots of public exposure in the last few years.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

This will be a tight competition. It will not be as well-publicized (because of the limited field of expertise in machine guns) as the 6.8 NSGW competition, nor will its outcome have the battlefield impact of replacing the entire suite of squad-level weaponry. However, it will still have a large impact on the way the battle is conducted in the future.

Why would True Velocity win? This weapon has 12 years of extensive General Dynamics-style development, testing, and evaluation. It has the longest history and the most amount of rounds down the barrel. If SOCOM wants tried and true, tested, and run to its limits again and again – this is the choice. If SOCOM is really interested in fielding lightweight ammo, True Velocity’s ability to leverage its lightweight ammunition may give it an edge in the competition. There are very few lightweight ammunition options in 338 Norma Mag.

Why would Ohio Ordnance Works win? Its very innovative design, reliability, and extensive experience with belt-fed machine guns are the company’s hallmarks. There are a lot of very nice features, like the sliding feed tray that allows nearly any optic to be placed upon it. Also, there is the one-handed barrel change. Are these “unlisted” items enough to sway SOCOM?

Why would SIG Sauer win? It has a solidly performing weapon and a compelling history of producing weapons under military contracts. It also has a history of treating its major U.S. government contracts as loss leaders, pricing them aggressively and leaving thin margins that it offsets with profits on commercial, international, and other agency sales.

CLOSING

The biggest winner will be the U.S. warrior. Some don’t see the benefit of this system. I 110% see it changing the way warfare takes place. Imagine a single soldier or operator being able to sneak up and lay suppressed suppressive fire on targets 3000+ meters away, then pack up and be gone before the enemy has any idea where it came from. Then repeat 30 minutes later. What it will do for aircraft will be similarly impressive. Longer distances with a lighter weight system.

Some minigun systems may get switched out to the 338 LMG-M due to the weight savings (50 pounds), lesser cost, and greater downrange effects. It’s a long shot. However, it could happen. This will probably be impacted by the future of the 338 Norma Magnum suite of ammunition and the capabilities it provides.

It will be impressive. It will make a difference. It will be the future. It might have 90 years of service life like the M2. This future date is 2114. They should have phasers or laser guns by then, however, I’m sure someone back in 1933 thought we’d have lasers in 2024.

Soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division are the latest to work with the newly fielded XM7 rifle and XM250 automatic rifle as shown in this video recorded during a Next Generation Squad Weapons (NGSW) New Equipment Training (NET) event at Fort Campbell, April 15, 2024.

The video is brought to you by Jason Amadi/U.S. Army, PEO Soldier, U.S. Department of Defense.
(The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.)

“This award is a clear demonstration of industry-partner commitment to providing our joint warfighters the advanced munitions they need to fight and win the nation’s wars and safeguard our national security interests,” said Maj. Gen. John T. Reim, Joint Program Executive Officer Armaments and Ammunition. “This facility’s advanced manufacturing capabilities and production capacity will also serve as deterrence against adversaries.”

The contract is the culmination of an 18-month design activity led by the Joint Program Executive Office for Armaments and Ammunition and Olin Winchester, supported by a geographically diverse and cross-functional team of U.S. government and commercial contractors. The production building and process support systems are designed to accommodate best-practice manufacturing methodologies, processes and equipment that provide flexible, sustainable and maintainable operations and ensure manufacturing readiness to meet future requirements.

Construction of the facility will be followed by a phased equipping program to integrate state-of-the-art ammunition manufacturing capability. The facility will house modern manufacturing systems designed to produce all aspects of the Next Generation Squad Weapon’s ammunition, including metal parts manufacturing, energetic operations for loading and charging ammunition, product packaging, process quality controls and testing laboratories, maintenance operations, and general-use administrative areas. At completion, LCAAP will provide high-volume capability within the organic industrial base utilizing state-of-the-art manufacturing equipment, processes, facilities and infrastructure to fulfill the Army’s NGSW ammunition requirement.

This construction program is led by the Army’s Joint Program Executive Office for Armaments and Ammunition and is executed in partnership with the Army Contracting Command-Rock Island, Joint Munitions Command, Olin Winchester and a number of other commercial partners.

For inclusion on the MHS Additional Authorized List (AAL), the U.S. Army evaluated numerous pistol red dot sights, from multiple manufacturers, through vigorous environmental and performance evaluations and the ROMEO2 and the previously awarded ROMEO-M17 (NSN: 1240-01-713-9795) each achieved successful selection.  The issuance of the NSN to these products streamlines the procurement process for all NATO members and partner countries as an identified standardized material. 

The ROMEO2 is a Red Dot Reflex Sight that features a molded glass aspheric lens with high-performance coatings for superior light transmittance and zero distortion, available with a 3 MOA, 6 MOA, or Circle/Dot reticle, and offers D.A.R.C. (Dark Adaptive Reticles and Coatings) technology to provide ideal reticle brightness and target clarity during the day and while using a Gen3+ night vision device.  MOTAC (motion-activated illumination system) automatically turns the optic off when not in use, and automatically turns it back on when it detects motion, and MAGNETAC (Magnetic Activation) automatically turns the optic off when holstered in a compatible holster, and on when drawn.   The sight has a 7075-aluminum housing and comes with two (2) steel shrouds for three (3) different optic configurations, to include fully enclosed and sealed.  A spring-loaded side battery tray with push-button release allows a battery change without the need to remove the optic from the firearm. 

Additionally, the approved MHS AAL ROMEO2 kit includes Berry-compliant wrenches, an X-RAY3 green suppressor-height front night sight to co-witness with the integrated rear sight on the ROMEO2 housing, and a plug to fill the hole in the rear of the MHS slide when the sight plate is removed.

ROMEO2 Red Dot Sight Specs:

• Magnification: 1x
• Reticle: Circle Dot / 3MOA / 6MOA / 10 MOA Red Dot
• Adjustment: 1 MOA (per click)
• Clear Aperture: 30mm
• Illumination Settings: 12 Daylight, 3 NV
• Waterproof: IPX7
• Battery: CR2032
• Overall Length: 1.84 inches
• Overall Width: 1.32 inches
• Overall Height w/o shrouds: 1.12 inch
• NSN Number: 1240-01-717-4679

The ROMOE2 is designed, developed, tested, and assembled in the U.S.A.

For more information about the ROMEO2 visit sigsauer.com.

But, we’re getting backchannels reports that SOCOM’s purchase of an unreported number of SIG MG 338s was for a small number of evaluation guns and that its LMG-M competition continues.

We are aware that the SOCOM competition was down to three systems offered by SIG Sauer, Lone Star Future Weapons, and Ohio Ordnance Works and we’d seen press about two of the entrants, but OOW had yet to reveal any information publicly about its weapon system until today.

Along with an public invitation to see the REAPR at the company’s exhibition booth 70405 at SHOT Show 2024, it also said photos and a specification sheet will be made available next week.

While OOW refers to the REAPR as, “a revolution in modern military general purpose machine guns (GPMG)” and not a “lightweight medium machinegun” per se, it goes on to say the weapon is, “Designed to exceed SOCOM military specifications,” a clear indication of the company’s positioning REAPR for use by Special Operations Command.

While few details were offered, OOW shared the following features:

• Lightweight Design
• Chambered in 338 Norma Magnum
• Compatible with a 7.62 NATO conversion kit
• Simple and robust receiver
• Tool-less field stripping
• One-handed barrel changes
• Modular, transportable design that breaks downs into three components in under ten seconds

OOW says REAPR is available now in small quantities with full volume production beginning April 2024.

Taiwan distributed its indigenous rifle, the T-65, generously among the Central American nations in the mid-1980s. The T-65K1 is still found in the hands of the Panamanian Institutional Protection Service (or “SPI” in Spanish – the Presidential Guard), and the Panamanian National Police (PNP). As it happened, the Panamanian Defense Force (PDF) selected the T-65 as its standard rifle in 1986, acquiring some 10,000 rifles before switching to the Kalashnikov. The rifle became the standard-issue rifle in 1990 within the new Panamanian Public Force that replaced the PDF, until replaced once more, by the Kalashnikov, in the form of the Hungarian’s AMD-65, in 1991.

In 2010, the Salvadoran Armed Force (ESAF) loaned 700 rifles to the National Civilian Police (or “PNC” in Spanish). The PNC had actually received the first batch of loaned T-65K1 rifles between 1995 and 1996, and the Army would eventually transfer up to 2,000 Taiwanese rifles to the PNC. The Salvadoran military had acquired some 5,000 T-65 rifles during the civil conflict in the 1980s, and these had been distributed exclusively to the law enforcement security forces, namely the National Police, elements of the National Guard’s combat battalion (“September 15” Antiterrorist Battalion or “BIAT”), and the Treasury Polic’s combat battalion (“Cuervo” COIN battalion (BIC) and then Libertadores BIAT). The T-65 is still prominent in the hands of Salvadoran police officers, and it’s the standard rifle for the 250 policemen and other guards securing the Terrorism Confinement Center (or “CECOT” in Spanish), a jail holding up to 40,000 gang-members.

TAIWAN’S SMALL ARMS

In April 1966, the Taiwanese military leadership charged the Combined Service Forces with the manufacturing of the M-14 rifle and the M-60 machine gun to supply its military. The U.S. government agreed to sell tools, components, material, documentation, technical assistance, and assemblies in January 1967. Consequently, the 60th arsenal in Kaoshiung built over 700,000 M-14s, classified as the Type 1957 (T-57), between 1969 and 1980.

The T-57 would jumpstart the Taiwanese’s small arms industry, and it was followed by the development of a 5.56mm model starting in 1968. This culminated in 1976, when Taiwan adopted the T-65 rifle. The rifle was developed and then manufactured by the Combined Logistics Command using the AR-15 platform, minus the carrying handle, and the mechanism of the Armalite AR-18. The T-65K1 refers to an improved variant made by the Joint Logistics Plant No. 205 (known as the 205th arsenal), with a new handguard with aluminum heat shields, and other minor changes. The K1 is said to have started production in 1985, but within a couple of years it had been superseded by the T-65K2.

The K2 was based on the improvements found in the M-16A2 rifle, hence its resemblance to that U.S. rifle. The T-65K2 was also known as the T-68 and evolved into the K3 and K4 variants before jumping to the T-86 carbine. The T-86 is almost identical in its exterior to the U.S.-made M4 carbine, introducing similar improvements, but still using the piston-type gas mechanism of the T-65. The T-86 itself evolved into the T-91 rifle, which replaces the carrying handle for a Picatinny-type rail and uses a longer barrel.

Interestingly, one of the rows of rifles photographed being transferred from the Salvadoran Army to the police in 2010 showed T-65 rifles with M16-type carrying handles, indicating that these were T-65K2 models. As noted, the T-65K2 entered service in the early 1990s, so their presence in El Salvador in 2010 suggests that some rifles were delivered after the civil war had ended in 1992.

Little is known about the supply of Taiwanese’ small arms to other Central American nations, but it is reported that the T-65 was used by the Guatemalan, Honduran, and Costa Rican police in the 1980s. Photographs pop up now and then, verifying their existence with security forces of those nations. In 1973 the Costa Rican government established the Judicial Police (OIJ – Organismo de Investigación Judicial), with 120 elements, and by the mid-1980s it had reached a strength of some 647. Half of those officers had received training and equipment from Taiwan. Taipei also assisted in the training and equipping of a Costa Rican’s Civil Guard riot squad and supplied some rifles to equip some of the 3,000-member Rural Guard (established in 1969). In 2006, Taiwan donated 71 vehicles and 30 mountain motorcycles to the Costa Rican police, and seven outboards to equip four coastguard boats.

Taiwan may have even supplied a few T-57 rifles to Honduras around 1969, as well, but it’s noted that only 200 Type 57 rifles had been produced by July 1, 1969. So, if any of these ended up in Central America in July 1969, they were probably remanufactured M-14 rifles. Nevertheless, it does appear that the first modern standard-rifle of the Honduran Army was the M-14 rifle –possibly augmented by T-57s– in 1970, switching to the FAL in 1975.

Honduras received considerable military assistance from Taiwan since the 1960s. Around 2004 – 2005, Taiwan provided assistance in maintaining Honduran F-5 fighter aircraft, but most of the assistance remained somewhat secret until 2015, when it publicly donated four AIDC UH-1H helicopters. Similar transactions and offerings were made to Dominican Republic, El Salvador, and Guatemala and these included additional hardware that was not disclosed publicly. Consequently, the Honduran package is believed to have included up to 30 Humvees and other hardware to match a similar number of M-1025 transferred by the U.S. in 2007.

Indeed, besides rifles, Taiwan contributed surplus and excess defense equipment to Latin American allies in unsuccessful efforts to retain their diplomatic support against the Popular Republic of China (PRC). In 1998, Taiwan set up a $240 million aid fund to distribute among Central American nations in exchange for their support and facilitated the supply of vehicles, boats and helicopters, as well as technical assistance to a number of Latin American allies.

OTHER WEAPONS AND LATIN AMERICAN ALLIES

Taiwan’s military decided to replace some 7,000 Humvees with a new vehicle starting in 2003, so it has been transferring dozens of them to Latin American allies. Similarly, Taiwan has been disposing of its Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC)’s UH-1H helicopters, phasing them up since late 1990s. In the maritime area, the Taiwanese Navy phased out its Hai Ou (Seagull)-class missile boats between 1999 and 2012 and offered some of them to Latin American allies. The Hai Ou is none other than the Israeli Dvora class, modified by Taiwan with three propeller shafts, instead of the two used in Dvora, and fitting two Hsiung Feng I anti-ship missiles instead of the Israeli’s Gabriel. In addition, Taiwan supplied dozens of police vehicles, motorcycles, and financed small launches and security initiatives.

Panama received five AIDC UH-1H helicopters in 1997, followed by another pair a few years later. Then, Taiwan financed an EMB-135BJ Legacy 600 and a Bell-412EP helicopter for Panamanian presidential use. In 2017, Taiwan provided funds to strengthen four Panamanian projects of the Bilateral Cooperation Program between both governments. Among others, the money funded a Damen Interceptor (DI) 1102 boat for operations around Guna Yala, and, according to the newspaper Critica, it was the fourth DI-1102 financed by Taipei. The Asian nation also funded the construction of a Naval Air Station in Almirante, district of Changuinola, province of Bocas del Toro, and fifteen vehicles for the PNP in Chiriquí and Veraguas. Panama switched to China in 2017.

In the case of El Salvador, Taiwan provided 500 motorcycles to its police between 2004 and 2009. Then, in the 2005 – 2006 period, it offered two Hai Ou-class patrol boats to the Salvadoran Navy. But, by 2007, the Salvadoran deputy chief of staff acknowledged that the offering had been cancelled and replaced with direct contributions to the government in an effort to defeat the former guerrilla front, the FMLN, in presidential elections. Nevertheless, the FMLN defeated the right-wing Arena party, and came to power in 2009. In 2017, Taiwan offered four AIDC UH-1H helicopters along with a hidden offering of dozens of Humvees but cancelled in 2018 after the Salvadoran ministry of defense failed to obtain $2 million for the freight, and it was disclosed that the FMLN was planning to switch its support to China after Taipei had denied financial support to the former guerrillas. Ironically, in August 2022, the Salvadoran attorney general’s office (or “FGR” in Spanish) was investigating $3.9 million, donated by Taiwan, that had been diverted during the administration of former FMLN President Salvador Sánchez Cerén.

Since 1995 Taiwan supplied raw materials for uniforms and infantry gear to the Nicaraguan military. In 2004, Taiwan pledged to finance the repair of the Nicaraguan Air Force’s Mi-17 helicopters and the donation of vehicles and motorcycles for the police of the autonomous Caribbean regions and supported new uniforms for the Nicaraguan police. In 2018, three Taiwanese warships stopped at Corinto, Nicaragua, for three-days of joint training activities. The ships also stopped at El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, and the Dominican Republic. In 2019, Taipei financed the repair of four Nor-Tech 43V naval interceptors, previously donated by the U.S. in 2009, and a 48-foot model. Nevertheless, Nicaragua severed ties with Taiwan at the end of 2021.

CONTROVERSIES

Taiwan’s donations have contributed to several abnormal transactions in Central America, as well. In 2019, Taiwan approved, and then under pressure rejected, a loan for $100 million to the Ortega government of Nicaragua, through its export-import bank (Eximbank). It was not the first time. Taiwan had disbursed $178.1 million to Nicaragua between 1997 and 2003. And then, in 2004, Taiwan suspended its economic aid to the Enrique Bolaños’ government, also of Nicaragua, when the donations faced a number of scandals.

Between 2003 and mid-2004, Taiwan donated some $10 million to El Salvador to care for the victims of the 2001 earthquakes and to help the National Civil Police combat kidnapping gangs. However, the government of former President Francisco Flores diverted the money to his party’s bank accounts to finance Arena’s Antonio Saca presidential campaign.

In a similar scheme, between 2001 and 2003, Taiwan had provided $2.3 million to political leaders of the Costa Rican’s Social Christian Unity Party (PUSC) and the National Liberation Party (PLN) between 2001 and 2003; of this amount, $1.4 million had been diverted to the Costa Rican President Miguel Angel Rodríguez. In Guatemala, it appears that money went to the pockets of former President Alfonso Portillo.

In Honduras, in 2015, the presidency announced Taiwan’s donation of a Bell 412EP helicopter and an Embraer Legacy 600 jet for the use of the president. However, in 2022, it was disclosed that the Honduran Executive at the time (2015) actually used the Security Tax Fund (known as “TASON” in Spanish) to pay for the aircraft, and then moved $14 million pledged by Taiwan for security matters to replace the money taken from the TASON. Neither the TASON nor Taiwan’s donation were earmarked for the pleasure of the presidency, and the aircraft had not been donated. Honduras broke with Taiwan in 2023.

WHAT IS LEFT IN LATIN AMERICA

While Haiti received 100 T-91 rifles and other gear, the Dominican Republic received 960 motorcycles for the use of police by 2014. In addition, the Dominican Republic received two AIDC UH-1H helicopters in 2017, and it was made public that the package included 90 HMMWV vehicles and 100 engines. Dominican Republic changed support in favor of China in 2017 while Haiti remains as a holdout in the Caribbean, along with Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent, and the Grenadines.

In South America, Paraguay particularly benefited by receiving six AT-33A Silver Star light attack jet aircraft in 1991, two Hai Ou-class patrol boats in 1994, and up to sixteen AIDC UH-1H helicopters transferred between 1996, 2001, and 2019-2021. These were followed by 30 HMMWVs in 2019, and more than 600 motorcycles for the police. In 2011, Taiwan financed one Cessna Citation Sovereign aircraft, and one Bell 427 and one Bell 407 GXI helicopters, all for presidential use.

Taiwan donated two UH-1H helicopters to Guatemala in 1996 and another two in 2012, along with spares for another two UH-1Hs, while Belize received a pair of UH-1Hs in 2016. By early 2024, these two Central American countries were the only ones left in the region retaining diplomatic relations with Taiwan.

The Army is continuing its efforts to modernize the force and build towards the Army of 2030 and beyond. To support that effort, Program Executive Officer (PEO) Soldier is engaging with soldiers at the ground level to get to the fundamental truth of how soldiers are equipped in the operational environment and what gear they have modified or purchased for mission, environment, comfort and personal effect.

PEO Soldier’s Assistant Program Executive Officer (APEO) Soldier has been conducting Operational Kit (O.K.) Analysis with the operational force to collect this data.

O.K. Analysis seeks to address a multitude of objectives to help shape the Army of 2030 and the future soldier. The effort looks to proactively identify opportunities utilizing the Soldier Enhancement Program (SEP), influence materiel change proposals, identify equipment training challenges and address installation Soldier equipment logistics challenges.

“The idea behind O.K. Analysis was hatched by APEO Soldier’s Senior Enlisted Advisor, Mast Sgt. Josh Kaplan,” said Col. Douglas Copeland, Assistant Program Executive Officer, PEO Soldier. “He identified the need to bridge the gap between what we think soldiers and squads carry as materiel developers and what is actually used out in the field.”

In launching the initiative, MSG Kaplan took a couple of key steps: First, he created a community of interest across various stakeholders . Second, he worked with Sgt. Major Daniel Rose, PEO Soldier Sergeant Major, to combine the O.K. Analysis event with the PEO Soldier Capabilities Demonstration, which informs the force of our current and emerging capabilities in the PEO Soldier portfolio. This strategy allows PEO Soldier to gain Soldier feedback about on operational needs and determine exactly how PEO capabilities are impacting the Force.

The goal is to provide operational context to the acquisition force, said SGM Rose. “We’re trying to explain to the acquisition professionals here at PEO Soldier and stakeholders in the Army enterprise how soldiers are using the equipment that they are designing, procuring and fielding in the operational environment. What we found is that sometimes they won’t be using the equipment the way it was designed to be used. We try to bring that kind of context back to the acquisition force to help them as they’re designing and procuring new pieces of equipment.”

The O.K. Analysis team kicked off the program at USARCENT in Kuwait in March 2023 and has since engaged with the 11^th Airborne and 25^th Infantry Divisions. As a result, PEO Soldier has, to date, collected data from eight Squads and worked with senior leadership to establish an equipment baseline across the Army’s operational units.

The effort goes beyond simply questioning soldiers about their thoughts and experience with PEO Soldier capabilities. MSG Kaplan explained, “We deploy a team of senior NCOs with extensive operational experience and extremely smart government contractors who carry out an array of responsibilities, such as data collection, statistics, logistics, and photography. We collect several thousand lines of data, hundreds of photos and several hours of interviews that are analyzed as a part of an out-brief to communities of interest, then added to our holistic database for further analysis.”

After taking part in PEO Soldier’s O.K. Analysis engagement, Sgt. Major Brian Disque, G-3, 5 and 7 Sergeant Major, USARCENT, stated that he was very impressed with its effectiveness and potential benefits. He explained, “It is a very ambitious effort to answer an important question: What gear are soldiers actually using and why? PEO Soldier took the idea of unit outreach and feedback to the next level with a meticulous approach to data collection to better understand the perspectives of soldiers across the Army. The wealth of data collected will be very useful when informing future efforts to outfit our soldiers. All of the Army should be grateful that this team was willing to roll up their sleeves and get out to all corners of our Army to answer these questions.”

This effort has already returned positive outcomes. Through the O.K. Analysis initiative, PEO Soldier has been able to strengthen critical partnerships with the Maneuver Center of Excellence, DEVCOM and several Army Corps. PEO Soldier has also been able to facilitate the establishment of Environmental Working Groups with these communities of interest, which include items discovered through the O.K. Analysis effort.

“The most important benefit of O.K. Analysis is to ensure that the soldier’s voice is heard, including senior leaders in operational units who have important soldier equipment insights,” Kaplan said. “We do this in the form of detailed equipment inventories, pictures and candid interviews that are shared with the enterprise. If someone asks, ‘Why is soldier equipment getting heavier?’, our team can say, ‘Let me show you.’ There is a lot of power in that.”

Disque agreed, noting, “For USARCENT and our deployed force, the opportunity to provide our candid feedback to the professional data collection team is of immediate benefit. Innovation is one of our top priorities, and we are always searching for ways to bring innovative concepts to our area of responsibility (AOR). Soldier kit is one of those topics for which there is no shortage of great ideas out there, often based on real-world feedback from operating environments across the CENTCOM AOR – you just have to ask the right questions, which I am confident the PEO Soldier team executed to perfection.”

Through this effort, PEO Soldier began an Army-wide innovation synchronization effort that encompasses 18th Airborne Corps’ Eagle Works, I Corps’ Lightning Lab, USARCENT and PEO Soldier’s Soldier Integration Facility. This will allow stakeholders to collaborate and share data and integration solutions across the Close Combat Integration Enterprise (CCIE).

“Any opportunity to connect our modernization efforts to deployed soldiers on a mission is valuable,” said Disque. “Some of the most innovative ideas come from operating in a deployed environment, and for the PEO team to have access to soldiers that served recently in Syria and other areas is tremendous.”

Kaplan and his team have proactively submitted proposals for the Soldier Enhancement Program (SEP) on behalf of soldiers through the O.K. Analysis. The SEP is a process designed to help the Army enhance soldiers’ ability to execute their combat mission by evaluating prototypes and commercially available items submitted by soldiers and industry. Since its inception six months ago, PEO Soldier has identified 23 potential SEP opportunities, which is an exponential increase relative to recent years. Soldiers, senior leaders and industry are also able to submit their own proposals utilizing PEO Soldier’s website.

“Soldiers are very innovative,” said Kaplan. “There is always that one soldier in the squad who can create ways for his unit to become more lethal. This initiative highlights innovative solutions so communities of interest can stay on pace with the operational force.”

Command Sgt. Major Joseph Gaskin, Command Sergeant Major, 1/11 Airborne Division, added to that assessment by stating, “Any effort the Army uses to better inform equipment requirements from the soldier on the ground is value added to our formation. The O.K Analysis comprehensive program captured data that will assist leaders to better understand what risk the soldier’s load presents as we operate in the extreme cold of our operational environment.”

PEO Soldier will continue its O.K. Analysis effort by visiting soldiers with the 3^rd Infantry Division in October and engaging with U.S. Army Europe in the second quarter of 2024. This ongoing effort will collect and share data amongst the CCIE to help shape the Army’s modernization efforts moving into 2030 and beyond.

PEO Soldier is now encouraging other interested U.S. Army operational divisions to reach out and schedule an O.K. Analysis of their area of responsibility.

 “We look forward to expanding our O.K. Analysis across the Army’s operational units to further collaboration, leverage creative innovation and enable proactive capability development for soldier equipment,” said Copeland.