This Is How The Air Force Gets Its New Survival Rifle To Fit Under An Ejection Seat

[The Heretic]

This Is How The Air Force Gets Its New Survival Rifle To Fit Under An Ejection Seat

The Air Force has fielded 2,700 of the guns, which give fighter jet and bomber pilots extra firepower if they have to bail out over hostile territory.

www.thedrive.com

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[Andy54Hawken]

Neat Carbine...I like the idea.

Having jumped from many a plane and helicopter I understand how Airborne personnel are supposed to secure their weapons and gear....
But....
Does this Carbine stay with the seat or stay with the pilot...?
And if it stays with the seat....doesn't the seat and the pilot separate at a certain point...?
Andy

 

[Member 34319]

Cool!

I love learning about these types of things. Thanks for sharing.

Reminds me of this video.

 

[powermad]

$1,450 and you can have one too. Well almost...

GAU-5A ACSW Clone Pistol | Midwest Industries, Inc.

USAF GAU-5A Air Crew Self-defense Weapon made by Midwest Industries, Inc. US Air Force Ejection Seat Weapon

www.midwestindustriesinc.com

 

[The Heretic]

Cool!

I love learning about these types of things. Thanks for sharing.

A friend who was in Security Forces in the AF shared it with me.

 

[User 1234]

The survival pack under the ejection seat is tethered so that it lands close to the pilot. The seat itself is discharged.

 

[Geardo]

2.6 million to develop? WTF?

They couldn't just buy the already done Dolos system and call it good? I couod have designed that 3 beers deep on Brownells in one night.

And I could have fit a micro handgun sized RDS like the aimpoint acro on there, along with a lighter stock, or a smaller PDW style stock, or even a folding stock.

Jeeeze.

 

[The Heretic]

Stargate Command (a branch of the Air Force) has their own PDW:

 

[The Heretic]

2.6 million to develop? WTF?

They couldn't just buy the already done Dolos system and call it good? I couod have designed that 3 beers deep on Brownells in one night.

And I could have fit a micro handgun sized RDS like the aimpoint acro on there, along with a lighter stock, or a smaller PDW style stock, or even a folding stock.

Jeeeze.

I think that included all of the guns - they said it came out to about $1K per gun.

 

[Geardo]

I think that included all of the guns - they said it came out to about $1K per gun.

Oh well then that is very reasonable!

 

[The Heretic]

The Air Force says that it spent approximately $2.6 million to both craft the complete conversion and field the guns. While we don't know what the base unit price per gun was without the development costs factored in, this works out to just under $963 each. It's not clear whether or not the service purchased entirely new guns to convert or used existing M4s, but the latter course of action seems much more likely and cost effective.

 

[Diamondback]

Neat Carbine...I like the idea.

Having jumped from many a plane and helicopter I understand how Airborne personnel are supposed to secure their weapons and gear....
But....
Does this Carbine stay with the seat or stay with the pilot...?
And if it stays with the seat....doesn't the seat and the pilot separate at a certain point...?
Andy

It fits in the survival kit.

Air Force GAU-5A Rifle

As many of you possibly know we were involved in the production of the Air Force GAU-5A Rifle which is a break down carbine that ejects with the pilot and gives them a means to defend themselves. MORE INFO...

www.m4carbine.net

I'm actually trying to find a mini reflex sight compact enough to fit in the kit mounted on the weapon yet rugged enough to survive the whole ejection-fall-landing process while still holding zero...

 

[GWS]

Should've added a can to that package.

 

[Diamondback]

Should've added a can to that package.

Space is already at a premium in the kit...

 

[Ura-Ki]

Well, As someone who has dwelt with these system's I can tell you there is a hell of a lot more going on then what is seen on the surface!
That kit stays with the pilot during the ejection sequence, it's tethered to his harness under the seat, it has to remain small enough to fit the limited space in the seat base and it also has to stay under a certain weight ( I don't remember the specifics) otherwise it effects the Seats performance and the parachutes performance limits! Those systems, ACES III Seats have a lot of space, but everything the pilot is going to need has to fit and a small rifle has always been a dream, and while there have been some small carbines issued in the past, none were particularly good, looks like that has now changes for the good!

As to the costs, it includes the costs of procurement, spares, maintenance and ammo/mags, as well as logistical support, and storage!
It also had to go through the trials and selection process and pilot training, as well as air craft ground crew training, and special ops crew training and procedures!
This should give you a idea of how much space were talking about!



THe Pilot also carries additional gear and equipment ON his body, and certain Air frames also have a small survival kit built into them that can be accessed if they can be found/reached/ survived enough!

 

[Basedgreaser]

Neat Carbine...I like the idea.

Having jumped from many a plane and helicopter I understand how Airborne personnel are supposed to secure their weapons and gear....
But....
Does this Carbine stay with the seat or stay with the pilot...?
And if it stays with the seat....doesn't the seat and the pilot separate at a certain point...?
Andy

The air force? Getting out of a chair?

 

[Basedgreaser]

2.6 million to develop? WTF?

They couldn't just buy the already done Dolos system and call it good? I couod have designed that 3 beers deep on Brownells in one night.

And I could have fit a micro handgun sized RDS like the aimpoint acro on there, along with a lighter stock, or a smaller PDW style stock, or even a folding stock.

Jeeeze.

Right? Cry havoc has been around a while, why them over the dolos, or leo systems?

 

[Basedgreaser]

It fits in the survival kit.

Air Force GAU-5A Rifle

As many of you possibly know we were involved in the production of the Air Force GAU-5A Rifle which is a break down carbine that ejects with the pilot and gives them a means to defend themselves. MORE INFO...

www.m4carbine.net

I'm actually trying to find a mini reflex sight compact enough to fit in the kit mounted on the weapon yet rugged enough to survive the whole ejection-fall-landing process while still holding zero...

I think aimpoint is releasing anew pistol optic that isnt single lens.

 

[Diamondback]

I think aimpoint is releasing anew pistol optic that isnt single lens.

An Acro might fit if it had a 1913-rail adapter, but the question is will it take the 12 G's of ejection, THEN the 4 G's of chute opening, THEN impact, and only AFTER all that the "normal" ground combat stresses...

 

[FullMetalJerk]

"teflon coated ordnance" ....Hollywood... LOL