The Lightweight Small Arms Technologies Program, originally known as the Lightweight Machine Gun and Ammunition program, is a program that was initiated in 2004 to help significantly reduce the weight of weapons and their ammunition.
History[]
Backed by the U.S. Joint Service Small Arms Program, the LSAT is so far the latest attempt of replacing weapons currently used by the U.S. Army, following in the footsteps of the Special Purpose Individual Weapon, Future Rifle, Advanced Combat Rifle and Objective Individual Combat Weapon programs.
Originally started in 2004, development is currently spearheaded by the AAI Corporation, with eight other companies under its leadership. Development of various types of specialized ammunition began, along with various weapons which chambered the specialized ammunition, including a light machine gun and an assault rifle.
As of 2012, the companies project other further developments, such as electronic ammunition counters and more environmentally-friendly bullets with higher lethality. The weapons were tested by the U.S. Army the same year, with AAI being awarded a contract for designing cased telescoped bullets and caseless ammunition in 2013.
As of 2022, the project is still in full swing. Most goals of the project were either close to achievement or fully achieved by 2009.
Weapons developed[]
Designed in or around 2003, this light machine gun is available in both cased and caseless variants. The LSAT is able to decrease the weight of the M249 machine gun quite substantially, but costs about the same as a standard M249. Rounds counters were integrated for users to determine how much ammunition is left in the firearm, and the weapon has a stiffened and heat-resistant barrel. The caseless version has a second mechanism used to seal the chamber during firing.
- LSAT rifle
Designed in or around 2008, seventeen sketches were originally put forth for the design of this assault rifle, with two remaining for both caseless and cased rifle prototypes each. The weapon's magazines are meant to have as high a capacity as possible, and the rifle is completely ambidextrous. In fact, in 2014, AAI was awarded a contract to construct a carbine with both caseless and cased variants.