The OICW - Wonder Weapon or Piece of Junk?

[Sir Krustin]

The thread is still going, I see.

As far as batteries go, it's pretty much a given that militaries will have to deal with this issue on a continuing basis. While I'm not a big fan of the OICW, and don't think they can make it work, the LandWarrior system has a lot of potential. The military recognizes the value of information on the battlefield and is trying to make the american soldier as connected as possible, and mark my words this is going to be a tremendous force multiplier in the future.

Drawbacks right now are the need for frequent battery changes (batteries last 12 hours) increasing logistical problems, and the increased load the soldier must carry. IMO, before this system will be entirely successful they will have to make landwarrior much lighter and increase power storage density.

My point here is that high tech weapon systems aren't entirely bad, but infantry units need simple, reliable weapons to survive. Making the look up an ops procedure in a dash-1 while their in a firefight is a non-no!

[Oblivion437]

While information is helpful, in fact, information is 100% good. It must be weighed against 4 key factors.
1. The ability of the soldier to use that information
2. The cost of providing it.
3. The need for it.
4. The factor of the equipment's weight.
4 especially, as a 50 pound information system can be a liability, when it doesn't actually kill anyone. Still, I see information as the next phase in lethality increase. First it was closed cartridges. Then it was magazine feed. Then it was self-loading, now it's information. We've seen how what was scoffed as useless become a very powerful reality.

[Cloudbringer]

Originally posted by Oblivion437: I'm going to ask that this post above be deleted as it's 1. Off topic 2. Specifically countermanded in the rules I've placed on this thread I don't want an explanation or arguement on the morality of firearms. I don't care about that. I want to know about the consensus on the soundness of our army to adopt the system. Don't tell me that simply because it kills it's unsound, that's what armies do. EDIT: I would expect this of a French person, a country that hasn't won a war on its own two legs in over 100 years. Your country is experimenting with a similar system, the PAPOP, a LOT of Frenchmen are guaranteed to die using that mess.

While you may have requested the pros and cons of actual gun USE be avoided here, I want to warn you that your 'edit' comment is totally uncalled for. Attacking a person's country for because you dislike their opinion is hardly appropriate in any thread, Oblivion. Please avoid generalized insults in the future.

[Mr_Krift]

why cant we all not hate ?

[Oblivion437]

Because hate is convenient and efficient and a good source to hide the problems of a nation, or group. Ever notice what happens in the US when everything turns sour? We go to war. Not just any war, see for some reason, whenever there's white people involved, the US flinches. We haven't actually aimed at white people since ww2. George Carlin explained it in far better (And funnier) terms, basically, our government is run by racist hypocrites.