The ARES-Olin AIWS (short for "Advanced Individual Weapon System") was a prototype bullpup assault rifle that was entered in Phase I of the Advanced Combat Rifle program along with five other prototypes.
Because of technical issues, the weapon was one of two prototypes withdrawn from the competition, the other being the McDonnell Douglas AIWS. Both weapons were given the option of reentering the program but their issues could not be solved on time.
Mechanism[]
The AIWS used a gas-operated rising chamber mechanism, similar to the Phase III Steyr ACR prototype.
When the weapon is charged and ready to fire, the chamber is sealed in a lower position by the trigger sear. When the trigger is pulled, the chamber moves upwards, releasing the firing pin slide. The firing pin locks up the action as it struck the primer, firing the weapon. As the projectile passes the gas port, the expanding gases push the firing pin and rammer slides backwards while the chamber drops into the feed position. With the crossfeed completed, the slides are fully rearward and ready to begin the ramming procedure. The slides then move forward, initiating the ramming and ejection process.
Ammunition[]
The AIWS uses a 5mm caliber (5×44mm in Phase I, 5×54mm in Phase II), 45 grain saboted tracer round in a telescoped configuration that feeds into the weapon using a 65-round plastic belt carried by a drum. Initially, the cartridge consisted of a brass casing with a plastic end cap at the front, and the projectile sheathed in a three-part sabot. The later version of the cartridge used a plastic casing with a brass battery cup, again with the projectile sheathed in a sabot and a plastic end cap.
The ammunition is low impulse to reduce recoil and the tracer aspect is part of the "Closed Loop Fire Control System" concept. The idea of the concept was that in close range, high stress combat situations the shooter rarely used their scope to aim unless in a postion safe to ambush from or out of range of enemy fire as well as that due to camouflage enemy forces are hard to see beyond a certain distaince and only expose themselves for a short while. This results in the shooter firing in the general diraction of movement in a spray and pray tactic as shouldering and aiming through the sights would take time and leave the shooter exposed to enemy fire. With the tracer rounds for the AIWS, the shooter could, in theory, increase hit probability by firing more quickly from the hip, using the tracers as a visual cue indicating where their rounds are going and adjust their aim to lead their gunfire to the targert and "close the loop". The burning chemicals used in tracer rounds could also cause fires under the right condations, giving the rounds the potentinal be be used as incendiary rounds under certain circumstances.
The telescoped ammunition concept using plastic casings was also seen in the Steyr ACR.
Gallery[]
See also[]
- Advanced Combat Rifle program
- 5×44mm ARES
- 5×54mm ARES
- Telescoped ammunition
- Steyr ACR
- H&K G11
- AAI ACR
- Colt ACR
- McDonnell Douglas AIWS
References[]
- PDF for Eugene Stoner's U.S. patent for Telescoped Ammunition.
- PDF for Eugene Stoner's U.S. patent for Lightweight Belt Link for Telescoped Ammunition.
- Cartridge Collectors 5mm ARES round.
- Docdroid PDF Advanced Combat Rifle program
- Interview with Eugene Stoner on ARES-Olin AIWS and telescoped ammunition