Raytheon new infantry missile

[swaghauler]

Originally Posted by StainlessSteelCynic

I had forgotten the XM25 was back on the scene and yes it does appear as if Raytheon (with the Pike) is betting on non-/limited- adoption of the 25mm grenade & launcher but I'd ask, isn't there room for both in the inventory?

The big issue is cost. I've heard that the XM25 goes north of $25K for the launcher alone but is much beloved by the troops who are "field testing" it in Afghanistan (when they can get the rounds for it). The Pike will probably run in the $10K range for a single round if SRAW pricing is any indicator of Raytheon's pricing strategy. Laser guidance is also very common in the world so you're not surrendering any advanced or "proprietary" technology with it. If you give the XM25 Grenade Launcher to an allied army; You are giving them the experimental technology that lets you "airburst" grenades over an enemy's head. I see both making "a showing" in the NATO arsenal (especially among the more "budget minded" members).

[StainlessSteelCynic]

And this is the sort of thing that was in my mind when I was posting. There's a lot more flexibility with the XM25 (different grenades types, different fusing options etc. etc.) but do you really want to transfer that sort of technology to anybody but the closest allies? As you say, laser guidance knowledge is not proprietary technology so supplying the Pike is lot less worrisome in terms of tech transfer (and even if it is less flexible, it still seems a very capable system for its intended role).

Originally Posted by swaghauler

The big issue is cost. I've heard that the XM25 goes north of $25K for the launcher alone but is much beloved by the troops who are "field testing" it in Afghanistan (when they can get the rounds for it). The Pike will probably run in the $10K range for a single round if SRAW pricing is any indicator of Raytheon's pricing strategy. Laser guidance is also very common in the world so you're not surrendering any advanced or "proprietary" technology with it. If you give the XM25 Grenade Launcher to an allied army; You are giving them the experimental technology that lets you "airburst" grenades over an enemy's head. I see both making "a showing" in the NATO arsenal (especially among the more "budget minded" members).