Weapons Timelines for the Twilight War

[Raellus]

I don't know why I keep coming back to this, but I like to think about the weapons and equipment that would likely be fielded in the Twilight War, especially in the later years, in contrast to what was fielded at that time IRL. A lot of this has been covered in other threads, but I couldn't resist a consolidated discussion of what was, what is, and what could have been.

UK: L85, L85A1/SA80, SLR, and/or Armalite AR-18?

IRL, the early production version of the SA80 (aka the L85) had a dreadful reputation and the improved L85A1 version only entered widespread service right around 2000. In the Twilight world, this may not have occured. Instead, the UK may have reissued the venerable 7.62mm SLR as a stopgap measure to replace the unreliable early-make L85s. Another possibility is that the UK began remanufacture of the Armalite AR-18 which had been liscence-built by Sterling in the UK during the late '70s in order to issue a stopgap weapon using the NATO 5.56mm round.

IMTW*, the UK armed forces use a mix of all three, with the SLR being the most common c. 2000. This would likely mean the Sterling SMG would be more common in the Twilight timeline than it was in the late '90s IRL.

On a related aside, I also like the idea of the reissue of Bren L4s LSWs to UK units (alongside a few L86s and FN Minimi SAWs).

USSR: AKM, AK-74, AK-103, "AKMR", and/or AN-94?

Obviously, the AK-74 is still the standard Russian Federation army assault rifle and would have been during the Twilight War. Deep reserve units would likely still be armed with older, 7.62mm S AKMs. I'm really on the fence regarding the idea of the rechambered (for 5.45mm b) AKMR from canon. It seems like way too much trouble compared to continued manufacture of 7.62mm S ammunition, especially since Kalashnikov began manufactured what amounts to a modernized AKM in the form of the 7.62mm S AK-103, which is apparently standard issue with Russian SF. Manufacture of the AK-103 began, IRL, in the mid-90s so it could appear in the Twilight World in limited numbers.

Then there's the innovative but delicate AN-94, which the Russians have issued in very small numbers IRL. It too could have made it into the Twilight War, albeit in very small numbers.

IMTW, first and second-line Soviet units use the AK-74 series, deep reserve units use mostly AKMs and a few new issue AK-103s, and Soviet special forces use a mix of all three with the odd AN-94 mixed in.

Reunited Germany: G-11, G-36, G-3, G-41, and/or AKM?

This is a tricky one. IRL, the G-11 never went into production but canon says it did in the Twilight timeline. Canon also states that caseless ammo production for it was impeded by the exchange and that it gradually fell out of use.

Then there's the G-36 which began to enter German Army service in the late '90s, IRL. It isn't mentioned at all in canon but it very well could have been introduced in time for the Twilight War. In all likelihood, though, not enough G-36s could have been manufactured before the general exchange to equip the newly reunited German Army.

So, whether it was the G-11 and/or the G-36 issued to the W. German Army in the Twilight timeline's mid-to-late '90s, something else would have needed to equip the balance of the German Army. The G-3 is the obvious choice since a good number were still in service, IRL, in the late '90s and early 2000s. But the 5.56mm G-41 would also be a natural option, given NATO's transition to that standard AR round.

Then there's the matter of the former East German Army units. I think it's most likely that they keep their AKMs and slowly transition to whatever the West German's standard AR would be. Of course, that transition would be interrupted by the exchange so AKMs would continue to remain in German Army service well past 2000.

IMTW, most the W. German army formations use the G-3 or G-41 while former E. German formations use the AKM with G-3s and G-41s in some former GDR units. I also allow for a few G-36s too.

Also, IMTW, the Uzi is still commonplace in German service.

USA: M-240 and/or M-60?

This is probably a non-issue. Both GPMGs would likely be in service in the Twilight War. The proportion of one to the other is probably moot. The M240 would probably be most common in first-line units with the M60 more common in reserve and NG units.

With the M-16 series remaining the standard AR of the US armed forces to this day, there's no question here.

I also like the idea of M-79 "Blooper" GLs being reissued to American units, especially in CONUS.


Other Weapons that could have become mainstays in the Twilight War:

The Brunswick RAW

I've seen this in various late-'80s, early '90s books on US infantry weapons but it never really caught on, IRL. IMHO, it would be an ideal weapon for urban warfare. In densely populated central Europe, its combination of low-recoil, no backblast, HESH warhead, and low cost relative to the standard issue LAWs (M136, M72, and SMAW) would make it a good option for soldiers in urban combat. I can see it rushed into production and widely issued to American troops with quite a few still around by 2000.

(Paul M., I couldn't find this one on your site. I'm sure it's there, though.)

There are a couple of other ones I wanted to mentioned but I can't remember which. I'll post an adendum when I do.

*IMTW= In My Twilight World