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U.S. Army Accelerates Fielding of M7 Assault Rifles and M250 Light Machine Guns in FY2026.
The U.S. Army plans to procure more than 16,000 M7 assault rifles and 2,600 M250 automatic rifles in FY2026 under the Next Generation Squad Weapon program. The move signals a faster transition to the 6.8x51mm Common Cartridge as the service prioritizes overmatch against peer military threats.
The U.S. Army is set to procure and begin fielding 16,154 M7 rifles (Next Generation Squad Weapon-Rifle), 2,636 M250 automatic rifles (NGSW-Automatic Rifle), and 19,524 M157 Fire Control systems as detailed in the United States Department of Defense’s Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Request, released on July 4, 2025. These three systems, developed under the Next Generation Squad Weapon program, will be deployed alongside the 6.8x51mm Common Cartridge to significantly improve squad-level lethality and sustain overmatch against evolving peer threats.
The Next Generation Squad Weapon program equips the U.S. Army with the M7 rifle, M250 automatic rifle, and 6.8x51mm ammunition to extend range, improve armor penetration, and increase squad-level lethality against peer threats (Picture Source: U.S. Army Program Executive Office Soldier)
The NGSW program represents the first comprehensive overhaul of the Army’s small arms family in decades. It replaces both the M4 carbine and M249 SAW with entirely new weapon systems built around a purpose-designed intermediate cartridge optimized for greater range and penetration. The M7 and M250, both produced by SIG Sauer, are chambered in the new 6.8mm hybrid round, which offers higher chamber pressure and greater muzzle energy than existing NATO small-caliber ammunition. According to publicly released specifications from SIG Sauer, the hybrid 6.8x51mm cartridge utilizes a combination of steel and brass to withstand pressures exceeding 80,000 psi, delivering muzzle velocities approaching 3,000 feet per second depending on barrel length.
The M7 rifle, selected to replace the M4, is a short-stroke gas piston weapon with a free-floating 13.5-inch barrel. Manufacturer data lists its unloaded weight at approximately 8.4 pounds, configured with a monolithic upper receiver, non-reciprocating side charging handle, folding buttstock, and M-LOK compatible handguard. The rifle supports both semi-automatic and fully automatic fire and comes standard with an integrated suppressor (SIG SLX series), intended to reduce visual and acoustic signatures during engagements.
Its companion weapon, the M250, replaces the M249 squad automatic weapon and brings significant weight savings and accuracy improvements. The M250 maintains a belt-fed configuration with a quick-change barrel and folding stock, and weighs about 13 pounds unloaded, several pounds lighter than its predecessor. While official Army performance data has not been disclosed, open-source figures provided by SIG Sauer indicate an effective range in excess of 800 meters and a rate of fire between 600 and 750 rounds per minute. Like the M7, the M250 is delivered with an integrated suppressor as standard.
Critical to both platforms is the inclusion of the M157 Fire Control system, a digital optic developed by Vortex Optics and Sheltered Wings under a U.S. Army contract awarded in 2022. While the FY2026 budget does not list technical specifications, previous Army releases describe the M157 as including a variable-power optic, onboard ballistic calculator, laser rangefinder, atmospheric sensors, and a digital display overlay. These features are designed to dramatically improve first-round hit probability by computing and displaying real-time ballistic solutions directly in the shooter’s field of view.
The FY2026 fielding of these systems marks a key milestone in the Army’s Soldier Lethality modernization portfolio. All components, weapon, optic, and ammunition, are being fielded concurrently, a deliberate shift from the Army’s historical approach of incremental, platform-by-platform upgrades. Fielding will prioritize Close Combat Forces, including infantry, cavalry scouts, engineers, and fire support teams, with initial deployments expected in units stationed in Europe and the Indo-Pacific.
While the FY2026 budget request does not provide detailed per-unit pricing or total contract value for the M7, M250, or M157, the quantities and fielding strategy reflect the Army’s confidence in the system’s readiness to replace legacy platforms at scale. The program emerged from years of research, prototyping, and testing, including Soldier Touch Points and live evaluations at Fort Benning and Aberdeen Proving Ground.
The Next Generation Squad Weapon program is more than just a weapons replacement effort. It reflects a broader transformation in how the Army equips and empowers its close combat formations, bringing advanced sensors, precision fire, and integrated suppression capabilities into the hands of every squad member. With the FY2026 rollout, that transformation is moving from concept to reality.