>laser CIWS at advanced stages of research >railguns at

>>31384903
>How long are we going to be stuck with AR-15, AR-18 and Ak-47 clones with some polymer added?
Until caseless ammunition, plastic cartridges and energy weapons become reasonable and cheap to mass produce

You could replace it all today, but who's spending the money on new infantry weaponry?

>>31385622

In every war the West takes part by far the most casualties are front-line infantry.

Giving them overwhelming advantage over towelheads with Ak's should be the priority.

>>31387186
>Giving them overwhelming advantage over towelheads with Ak's should be the priority.
That's why we give them armor, datalinks, and air support. Man portable weapons just aren't going to be all that different so long as the goal is to hose down the enemy with small pieces of metal.

>>31384903

>How long are we going to be stuck with AR-15, AR-18 and Ak-47 clones with some polymer added?

Until somebody comes up with something better. Unlikely, in my opinion. The AR platform is the pinnacle of rifle technology. You can make small refinements, but the Stoner impingement system impossible to beat.

>>31387252

Tavors are better though. You get a weapon just as good in a much smaller package.

File: SoldierTech_G11-1.jpg (43KB, 556x298px) Image search: [Google]

43KB, 556x298px

I'm hoping for caseless ammo to be made commonplace, but in reality >>31387205 is totally right.

File: queen of battle.jpg (34KB, 396x320px) Image search: [Google]

34KB, 396x320px

>>31384903

>How long are we going to be stuck with AR-15, AR-18 and Ak-47 clones with some polymer added


all the advanced shit you mentioned requires huge fuckign things to be attached to in order to move

infantry shit doesn't work that way my man.

but yeah, the next advance we'll see is either caseless ammo out of radically new designs or energy weapons of some sort. Those will require power packs capable of sustaining long operating hours (or days, months, years) and everything an assault rifle can take today, and more. No small task, senpai.

So yeah, advancements in infantry technology is far off, but that said in conventional warfare (newsflash- its the only warfare that actually matters in the grand scheme of things) the least important thing is the infantryman and his rifle.

No butthurt marines pls.

>>31384903
LSAT.

Also, lead hole punchers work perfectly well as it is. Improvements mostly come in the form of other infantry equipment (airburst warheads, guided munitions, advanced sensors, etc.).

In the near future, unguided FMJ will still be the primary personal ordinance of the individual infantryman; but, it will be heavily supplemented by various flavors of HE with advanced guidance and fusing, particularly at longer ranges or against multiple targets or targets under cover.

>>31384903
>advanced stages of research

If only you truly knew...

>>31384903
>>31387186
>believes we should give infantry overwhelming advantage
>does not realize that all the things in his first post do, in fact, provide advantages to infantry

Also, if it's not broke, don't fix it; like the noble shark or humble cockroach, infantry reached its perfect form ages ago.