On August 20, U.S. Special Operations Command took a new step to continue incorporating capabilities in the area of small arms by awarding LMT Defense a contract to supply the new MRGG-A rifle in 6.5 Creedmoor caliber. This new platform, together with the MRGG-S, will complement and replace some of the models currently in service with the U.S. special operations community.
According to what was timely reported by the U.S. Department of Defense, today Department of War, Special Operations Command awarded LMT Defense (known as Lewis Machine & Tool) a 10-year contract, with indefinite delivery and quantity and a maximum ceiling of USD 92 million, “…for Mid-Range Gas Gun – Assault Rifle kits, spares and accessories, new equipment training and engineering change proposals…”.
The purchase of the new rifles for U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) falls within the MRGG-A (Mid-Range Gas Gun – Assault or Gas Mid-Range Rifle – Assault) project, an initiative that took its first steps several years ago with the aim of fielding an assault rifle in 6.5 Creedmoor caliber, seeking to improve capabilities in terms of effective range, accuracy, and lethality.
The project included the evaluation of various candidates, among them LMT Defense’s proposal. It is a rifle developed based on the outstanding experiences gained with the MARS family (Modular Ambidextrous Rifle System). LMT’s MRGG-A features a 14.5-inch barrel, capability for semi-automatic and automatic fire, an ambidextrous configuration and the well-known MRP system (Monolithic Rail Platform; Monolithic Rail Platform), among other aspects.
It is worth noting that the MRP system consists of a solid piece of aerospace forged 7075-T6 aluminum which, thanks to its design, allows for a free-floating barrel, with the benefits this implies for precision and consistency. According to LMT Defense, the MRP was “…designed to withstand intensive combat use. Its greater rigidity allows the rifle, the optic and other aiming devices to remain zeroed, even after intensive use…”.
In an image posted by LMT on its social media, some additional details of the MRGG-A can be distinguished, such as M-LOK handguards, a low-power variable ATACR 1-8x24mm scope, Magpul MOE grip and stock. In the foreground the 14.5-inch barrel’s flash suppressor (1:8 twist) can be seen; it is stainless steel and features special coatings and cryogenic treatment.
MRGG-S and MRGG-A, USSOCOM’s new rifles
With the award of the MRGG-A contract to LMT Defense, and with the 2023 purchase of the MRGG-S, U.S. Special Operations Command has defined its new rifle models for the coming years. In the case of the MRGG-S, it is a semi-automatic gas rifle in 6.5 Creedmoor for designated marksmen. One of the many requirements of the project, awarded to Geissele, was that the operator be able to perform a quick barrel change, even to a 7.62mm one.
The MRGG project, which resulted in its Sniper and Assault versions, was conceived to field rifles in 6.5 Creedmoor so that special operations forces would have lighter platforms providing greater range and accuracy than the systems in service. These requirements stem from observations made in the 2018 National Strategy, a document in which it was recognized that a capability gap existed between U.S. conventional forces and their adversaries regarding conventional and unconventional weaponry.
Regarding caliber, 6.5 Creedmoor was selected because of its performance, which translates into the ability to defeat targets at significantly greater distances than the .308 Win or 7.62 NATO, as well as because of the industrial base capacity to acquire and produce the ammunition, compared with other calibers.
*Cover image: LMT Defense
*Original text written in Spanish by Carlos Borda Bettolli
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