After more than a year testing a handful of major upgrades to the shoulder-fired M3 recoilless rifle, the Army is racing to dole out more than 1,000 of the brutal anti-tank bazooka system to lucky soldiers around the world.

On Sept. 6, the branch announced that it had approved 1,111 M3E1 recoilless rifles for immediate use as a lightweight, reusable replacement to the standard 84mm M3 Multi-Role Anti-Armor Anti-Personnel Weapon System (MMAAWS), better known as the M3 Carl Gustaf, that emerged as a staple of Army Ranger and Navy SEAL arsenals in 1994.

Developed for both the Army and the U.S. Special Operations Command, the M3E1 is a significantly lighter and less cumbersome anti-tank system than its predecessor, according to officials with the Army Research, Development and Engineering Command at the Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland. The weapon was designed in collaboration with Swedish manufacturer Saab Bofors Dynamics, godfather of the original Carl Gustaf recoilless rifle, as part of foreign technology program initiated in 2012 to save R&D dollars.

In response to soldier and special operator feedback, the M3E1’s new titanium shell reduces the system’s weight by 6 pounds and length by 2.5 inches, swaddling the bazooka in an adjustable new carrying harness and shoulder padding. But more importantly, the Army hopes its re-engineered new bazooka will give troops a deadly capability they haven’t always enjoyed downrange: the ability to fire multiple shots with the same weapon.

SEE ALSO: A suicide bomber attacked Bagram airfield in Afghanistan to 'avenge' offensive leaflets dropped by the US

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The Army and industry are improving lethality and revving up production of an ISIS-attacking, long-range precision guided mobile rocket weapon able to precisely hit enemy targets in all weather conditions at ranges up to 300 miles.

Engineered as a mobile launcher built onto a 5-ton Army FMTV, the Army’s High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or HIMARS, provides moveable offensive firepower against fixed enemy infrastructure, force concentrations or even groups of fighters deliberately blended into civilian populations.

The Lockheed-Martin built HIMARS launcher is able to fire one MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile System and six Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems – both GPS an inertial measurement unit-guided precision rocket weapons.

“HIMARS production has resumed in the US for the first time since mid-2013, creating a production capability critical for both US and partner nations' field artillery defense,” Daniel O’Boyle, spokesman for Program Executive Officer Missiles and Space, told Scout Warrior.

Although the initial current increase production lot supports Foreign Military Sales, re-establishing an active US line provides important flexibility and enables rapid response to changing conditions and emerging requirements, O’Boyle added.

HIMARS has been widely used in the ongoing US military support for Iraqi Security Forces attacking ISIS; it enables fire support from forward-positioned fire bases without immersing US troops in close-up, front line combat. While HIMARS would indeed have uses in large-scale force-on-force major power warfare, the weapons’ mobility and long-range precision is well suited for attacks on ISIS by offering substantial support to advancing ground forces attacking fast-maneuvering groups of enemy fighters.

“Early entry forces like HIMARS because it is C-130 transportable,” Becky Withrow, Director, Business Development, Army Special Ops and Advanced Programs, Lockheed, told Scout Warrior in an interview. 

HIMARS rockets were particularly helpful in attacks on ISIS during the battle for Mosul, many reports indicated. 

ISIS fighters are known to quickly change position and seek protection from different buildings or fortified fighting locations. As a result, having an ability to re-position attack locations can multiply options for commanders looking to move or re-deploy HIMARS in response to changing combat scenarios. The weapon is built to quickly receive new targeting information from a Tactical Operations Center or Battle Command location, developers said.

Lockheed is also working on an electronics upgrade to the ATACMS weapon by installing a new proximity sensor into the weapon. Instead of detonating on impact or using a delayed fuse, ATACMs will now be able to explode in the air above or near enemy targets.

“It can do a height of burst and become more of an area effect,” Withrow said.

This new technology for ATACMs is something advantageous for attacking enemies such as ISIS given that their fighters often move in small groups of fighters and travel in armed pick-up trucks.

Also, for the first time, Lockheed has built its own from-the-ground-up FMTV for its HIMARS launcher, moving beyond its prior efforts to integrate the launcher onto a BAE or Oshkosh-built truck.

"This allows us to be a system integrator for the entire vehicles and achieve improvements and efficiencies in the production. We are able to look at the whole vehicle and build it from there,” Withrow said.

SEE ALSO: The Army's souped-up new M3 recoilless rifle is headed downrange sooner than you think

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The Army’s well-known Stinger missile can now destroy small, moving drones using a newer proximity fuze to detonate near a target, service developers said.

Firing from a vehicle-mounted Avenger System, a Stinger missile destroyed a mini-drone more than one kilometer away using a proximity fuse – technology used to find and hit moving targets that are smaller than what the weapon has traditionally been used for.

The live-fire test, which marked the first-ever firing of a Stinger with the proximity fuze, took place this past April at Eglin AFB, Florida

The Stinger missile, made famous by its successful attacks against Soviet helicopters in Afghanistan in the 1980s, uses an infrared seeker with an ultraviolet capability, Army developers said.

Over the years, the small missile - which can be shoulder fired or fired from a vehicle-mounted launcher – has been used to attack helicopters, fixed-wing enemy aircraft and other large targets.

Using the new technology, the weapon can now destroy moving mini-drones weighing as little as 2-to-20 kilograms, Wayne Leonard, Product Lead for Stinger-Based Systems, told Scout Warrior in a special exclusive interview.

The new proximity fuse introduces an emerging technology to expand the target envelope of the Stinger, which can use both a laser rangefinder and forward-looking infrared sensor when fired from the Avenger.

“There’s an antenna that is around this warhead that is sensing to see if it is passing a target. If if passes a target, it detonates. The antenna is detecting movement. Fragments penetrate through the target that is in flight,” Leonard said.

Given that the time of travel and the speed of light are easily determined quantities, a laser rangefinder from systems such as an Avenger system can use a computer algorithm to determine the precise distance of a target, a former Army Chief Scientist explained.

“Based on the changing threat, we are now able to the proximity fuze to destroy smaller UAS. What the Stinger goes after is a heat signature. One of the challenges we are seeing with smaller UAS is that they do not produce the heat signature that is commonly found with a helicopter or fixed wing aircraft,” Col. Chuck Worshim, Project Manager for Cruise Missile defense systems office, told Scout Warrior in an interview.  

It has an ability to attack both soft and hard targets; it can penetrate and then detonate or detonate immediately upon impact, Worshim added. The weapon can fire by itself or be cued from another source using command and control technology.

The Avenger, a Humvee-mounted launcher, can fire a Stinger missile and a .50-cal machine gun for ground and close-in air target. Firing with a range of approximately 8 kilometers, the Stinger is faster than its larger counterpart, the Longbow Hellfire missile. Hellfire missiles, initially conceived of as anti-tank weapons, have a larger warhead. They are also now used for a wider range of enemy targets.

“When firing in the Avenger mode, the Stinger can acquire targets which are not only line-of-sight. A man-portable Stinger can only acquire line-of-sight targets,” Worshim said.

The Stinger has not been used much in recent years in Iraq and Afghanistan, largely because it is less necessary in combat environments where the US already has air supremacy. However, should the Army face a near-peer competitor with air power able to rival the US, the Stinger could likely emerge as a weapon of choice against helicopters and airplanes. Furthermore, given that the weapon can now destroy small drones, it is also conceivable that the Stinger could increasingly be fired in counterinsurgency or hybrid-warfare scenarios as well.

SEE ALSO: Here are the first images of the Army's new futuristic helicopter prototype

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The US Army celebrates its birthday as June 14, 1775, but it didn't have the special operators with their distinctive green beret until much later.

Army Special Forces got its start on June 19, 1952 — 65 years ago Monday — and since then its soldiers have been at the forefront of fights in Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan and are now advising US-backed forces inside Syria.

They call themselves the quiet professionals, and they are one of the most elite fighting groups in the world.

Their mission is unconventional warfare — taking small teams to train and lead guerrilla forces.

Special Forces soldiers usually work together in a 12-man A-Team, with each man holding a specific job: The ranking officer is the team leader, the weapons sergeant knows just about every weapon in the world, the communications sergeant tees up ordnance or extract, and the medics can take lives as quickly as saving them.

It may seem crazy to send only 12 guys into a hostile country, but it's not crazy when they are Special Forces.

The US Army Special Forces are known for their exceptional skill and professionalism in modern war.

Alongside the CIA, they were the first Americans on the ground in Afghanistan only one month after 9/11.

There they linked up with the Northern Alliance and brought Hamid Karzai into Kabul.

The world's first stealth combat jet, the F-117A Nighthawk was officially retired in 2008, but remained in "flyable storage" condition. The 2017 defense budget will retire the fleet permanently, as they will be demilitarized over the next 15 years. 

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In this video of an August test, Lockheed Martin's ATHENA laser weapon system burns down five drones. Laser weapons have huge advantages for the US military since they are silent, invisible, and much cheaper than traditional missiles.

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The Army’s Advanced Test High Energy Asset (ATHENA, a nod to the Greek goddess of Wisdom) laser weapon underwent substantial prototype testing at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico in August, and the results are pretty damn impressive based on new video of the weapon in action.

During testing, manufacturer Lockheed Martin flexed the ATHENA’s muscles — the weapon uses the company’s 30-kilowatt Accelerated Laser Demonstration Initiative (ALADIN), nestled in an advanced system of optics and sensors, to generate the heat energy to burn through drones — to blast the bejesus out of five Outlaw drones, a feat it was happy to show off in highlight reel published on Sept. 20.

Once ATHENA takes aim at the Outlaw drones’ back rudders, they burst into flame, spiral into a tailspin, and freefall to the ground. Though the laser’s “beam” is all but invisible to the naked eye, the drone’s mid-air disintegration is very, very real — and very, very awesome.

“The system defeated airborne targets in flight by causing loss of control and structural failure,” Lockheed Martin said in press release. “Lockheed Martin and the Army will conduct post mission reviews, and data collected will be used to further refine the system, improve model predictions and inform development of future laser systems.”

This is just the Army’s latest step forward with regards to directed energy weapons. In April, the branchunveileda Stryker Infantry Carrier Vehicle (ICV) prototype specially equipped with Mobile High Energy Laser (MEHEL) system designed to counter ISIS suicide drones. And in June, an AH-64 Apache was fitted with a laser developed by Raytheon to experiment withtaking out unmanned aerial vehicles, blasting drones out of the sky from 1.4 km away.

But knocking drones out of the sky is just one of the uses that Lockheed envisions for its new laser technology. In the near future, the defense giant hopes to expand the utility of its laser weapons systems to aircraft, ground vehicles, and ships.

“Our technology today is ready to defend against small rockets, artillery shells and mortars, small unmanned aerial vehicles, small attack boats and lightweight ground vehicles that are approximately a mile away,” the company said. “As fiber laser power levels increase, our systems will be able to disable larger threats and do so across greater distances.”

The military is also looking at other applications for laser technology beyond downing pesky UAVs. Air Force Special Operations Command is exploring the possibility of equipping AC-130J Ghostrider gunship with lasers that can disrupt or destroy communications and electrical systems, as well as enemy infrastructure. And the Navy’s USS Ponce has been using the AN/SEQ-3 Laser Weapon System for defensive purposes against enemy watercraft 2014.

All of this is great, but we hope that, one day, the Pentagon takes the final step towards world domination: sharks with frickin’ laser beams attached to their heads.

SEE ALSO: The US military is getting closer to deploying lasers and rail guns — here's how they might be used

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NOW WATCH: Watch Lockheed Martin's laser beam system burn drones out of the sky

U.S. military assistance for hurricane relief efforts has delayed the deployment of additional forces to Afghanistan, the Pentagon said on Thursday.

"Forces are flowing to Afghanistan, they have been slightly delayed by ongoing hurricane relief efforts," Lieutenant General Kenneth McKenzie, joint staff director, told reporters.

U.S. officials have told Reuters that the United States will send about 3,500 additional troops to Afghanistan.

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US officials say an American soldier missing for nearly two days in Niger has been found dead. He was one of four US troops killed in a deadly ambush.

His body was found and identified Friday after an extensive search. Four Niger security forces were also killed.

The Department of Defense on Friday also identified the first three Green Berets killed as Staff Sgt. Bryan C. Black, 35, of Washington; Staff Sgt. Jeremiah W. Johnson, 39, of Ohio; and Staff Sgt. Dustin M. Wright, 29, of Georgia. 

The name of the fourth Green Beret killed has yet to be released. 

US officials say they believe extremists linked to ISIS were responsible for the attack about 200 kilometers north of Niger's capital of Niamey.

The joint patrol of US and Niger forces were leaving a meeting with tribal leaders and were in trucks. They were ambushed by 40-50 militants in vehicles and on motorcycles.

Eight Niger soldiers and two US troops were wounded. The officials weren't authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

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A brand new Army-designed multiplayer combat simulator will be opening up Beta testing on Oct. 10, 2017. The new game, Operation Overmatch, will focus on tank versus tank combat.

The player can operate a wide range of vehicles — currently existing, concept, or player created — as they fight over objectives in either single or multiplayer modes.

Creation of the game is a joint effort between U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command’s Army Capabilities Integration Center,U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command and the Army Game Studio.

Army Game Studio developer, TheTots, explained on the forum for America’s Army that the new game would be used by both players and developers to test out the new capabilities for the Army. The game will feature new concept vehicles ranging from tanks to deployable UAVs.

Players can also customize new vehicles and test them in a no-stress situation that could one day be developed into actual combat vehicles.

The Army Capabilities Integration Center’s Lt. Col. Brian Vogt said, “Gaming is a tremendous medium to connect soldiers to the concept. Gaming is not just for entertainment anymore, now it is for experimenting.”

There is a precedent for gamers being used to improve complex research and development projects like this.

Back in 2008, scientists were trying to figure out the detailed molecular structure of a protein-cutting enzyme from an AIDS-like virus found on monkeys. It stumped molecular biologists for years.

After the game Foldit (a collaborative online game to solve this exact issue) came out, gamers solved it in just 10 days.

The best ideas from the game will likely be adopted by Army RDECOM for new weapons platforms, tactics and specs based on the game’s detailed analytics.

If the game wanted to be more entertaining, there could be many comparisons to games like Kerbal Space Program or Pimp My Gun in terms of silly designs.

To apply for Beta Access, click on this link and sign up using your .mil email address.

SEE ALSO: Troops in Europe are jumping in lakes and wrapping their phones in condoms to thwart Russian hackers

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North Korean special forces have been training to invade South Korea with paragliders, according to South Korea's Yonhap news agency.

The drills were conducted in mid-September at a training site with a building modeled after the South Korea-US Combined Forces Command in Seoul, Yonhap reported.

Special forces from North Korea's navy, air force, 11th army corps, and sniper brigade participated, according to Newsweek.

Paragliders can fly below radar and can also be folded down and transported easily.

“A paraglider flies at a low altitude without making a sound. It could be useful for making a surprise attack, like a drone," a South Korean defense official told Yonhap.

"I believe that North Korean special forces are adopting amazing methods of infiltration with limited resources," the official said.

The US and South Korea, in response, conducted their own short-range air-defense drills, known as SHORAD, in late September to thwart "low altitude cruise missiles, unmanned aerial systems and air breathing threats," Newsweek reported, citing a US Army press release.

The joint drills were aimed at defending "a critical location, de-conflicting engagements of enemy aircraft based on sector of fire, and utilizing secondary means of targeting enemy aircraft when their primary weapon system becomes combat ineffective," the US Army said, adding that the drills included "scout helicopters and a perimeter attack by ROK Special Forces."

South Korean Gin Gliders, one of the world's largest producers of paragliders, used to operate in the Kaesong Industrial Complex, which is a collaborative economic area between the North and South. Seoul closed the complex in early 2016 in response to North Korea's missile tests.

Pyongyang, however, reopened the plant last week despite Seoul's objections, according to Newsweek.

The US Army said it will continue the SHORAD drills in the coming months.

SEE ALSO: Trump has 'lit the wick of war,' North Korean foreign minister says, according to Russia state media

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The Army has been racing to equip soldiers with lighter, more durable body armor and helmets for years, a requirement that Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley reiterated during the Association of the U.S. Army’s annual conference in Washington on Oct. 11.

And defense contractors like Gentex, the corporation behind the Army’s Advanced Combat Helmet (ACH), flooded AUSA’s tech expo to showcase the latest updates in soldier protection.

But with the help of university researchers, the Army’s own engineers just took a major step towards developing durable materials to keep American troops safe during a firefight.

On Oct. 11, the Army Research Laboratory and Institute for Soldier Nanotechnology at MIT touted the benefits of “poly(urethane urea) elastomers” (PUUs), astoundingly rugged and elastic polymers that the branch described as “fifteen times stronger than steel [but] flexible like fabrics.”

The extra strength is impressive, but the degree of flexibility is what distinguishes a PUU from the bulky average Army battle armor, with its rigid ceramic and metal plates. Instead, envision a “chainmail-like” network of PUU fibers, which deform upon impact before returning to their original thickness — allowing them to absorb more energy from, say, a 7.62mm round from a Taliban AK-47, and be good to go for reuse. As the Army Research Lab’s Dr. Alex Hsieh said in a statement, materials made up of PUUs literally “bounce back after the impact.”

But the unique molecular makeup of PUUs means the fibers don’t just last longer but work harder when faced with high-speed impacts: There’s potential, according to the Army, that the materials could “change from rubber-like to glass-like when they are deformed at increasing high rates.” In layman’s terms: The harder it’s hit, the stronger it gets — not unlike the strange bulletproof goo dreamed up by an Air Force Academy cadet back in May 2017.

While Army and MIT researchers are still exploring the capabilities and limits of the new material, the potential applications include “transparent face shields, mandible face shields, ballistic vests, extremity protective gear, and blast-resistant combat boots,” according to the branch. The application to combat helmets may prove especially important in preventing the force of a shell’s impact from transferring through the helmet and causing blunt force trauma, a problem for even the most robust protection system.

The PUU polymer is still in the testing phase, but the Army may end up slapping the stuff onto its soldiers faster than previous personal protection systems, thanks to a coming reorganization of the branch’s procurement process. In a letter to general officers released on Oct. 6, Milley announced that the Army was poised to completely overhaul its approach to buying, testing, and fielding of new weapons and equipment as a part of a service-wide modernization effort.

The branch needs to field “not only next-generation individual and squad weapons, but also improved body armor, sensors, radios, and load-bearing exoskeletons,” Milley wrote. “Putting this all together, we must improve human performance and decision making by increasing training and assessment, starting at the Soldier level.”

The average soldier may not end up donning this post-industrial PUU chainmail before deploying to Afghanistan or Syria in the coming years, but Milley’s comments suggest that, should the PUU research continue to yield such fantastic results, such revolutionary body armor could end up in armories downrange sooner rather than later. Until then, we’ll make do with some bullet-stopping goo instead.

SEE ALSO: The British ISIS member known as the 'White Widow' has reportedly been killed in Syria

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US military troops in Afghanistan have begun working with smaller Afghan units to prepare them for a more aggressive offensive against the Taliban next year in a push to break the stalemate in the 16-year-old war, the top US commander for the Middle East said Thursday.

While acknowledging there is still much more to be done, Army Gen. Joseph Votel sounded a more optimistic tone, saying he is seeing some positive trends in the Afghan’s fight.

As more older Afghan commanders leave or are pushed out of their posts, younger leaders are taking over, he said, adding that the forces are conducting more operations and going on the offensive more often. As a result, he said, officials are seeing the number of casualties start to go down.

“I think we’re still very keen to break the stalemate and that’s what this effort is about here,” Votel told reporters at his US Central Command headquarters. “I’m not declaring victory here with this — but I think some of the steps we’ve taken ... are positive steps that are moving us in that direction to break the stalemate.”

Gen. Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told Congress last week that he still considers the war a stalemate. But he and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis assured lawmakers that the plan to increase US forces in Afghanistan and beef up military support to the Afghan units will pay off.

Congress members, however, have expressed skepticism and frustration with the Pentagon, and complained that they haven't gotten enough information on the administration’s new strategy for winning the war in Afghanistan and bringing greater stability to the broader region.

President Donald Trump in August approved a Pentagon plan to deploy as many as 3,800 additional US forces to Afghanistan, where there are already more than 11,000 serving. The additional American forces will be used to increase efforts to advise and assist Afghanistan’s forces, including putting advisers with smaller Afghan battalions, which they call Kandaks. Doing so puts American troops closer to the fight, but military leaders say it will allow them to better help the Afghans improve their ability to fight insurgents.

Votel said the advisers will help those Afghan units get ready for next year’s fighting season.

The US troops would also be used to beef up US counterterrorism operations against al-Qaida and a growing Islamic State affiliate in Afghanistan, as well as the Taliban and other extremist groups.

The added American troops have already started moving into Afghanistan, including a significant number of Army soldiers and some Air Force personnel who went in with an extra six F-16 fighter jets. The Pentagon, however, has repeatedly refused to even provide estimates of how many of the additional troops have deployed, despite promises that the department will be more transparent with the American people about how many U.S. service members are serving there, in harm’s way.

Mattis told reporters traveling with him on Wednesday that more than a dozen NATO allies have agreed to boost their commitments to Afghanistan, although some may just be a symbolic increase.

The Taliban, meanwhile, continues to be a resilient enemy, launching a series of high profile attacks — including a recent rocket assault at the airport in Kabul while Mattis was on the ground in the country.

Mattis and other senior leaders say they need to increase the military effort in the country in order to force the Taliban to the negotiating table where they can get a political resolution to the war. On Thursday, Votel said he is hopeful and believes that peace talks are possible.

SEE ALSO: 3 US soldiers wounded in Afghanistan attack to 'avenge' offensive leaflets dropped by the US

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NOW WATCH: Here are the territories of Afghanistan controlled by the Taliban and ISIS

Despite a brief period of ambiguity wrought by budget-jousting among lawmakers in Congress, the Army’s new and improved sniper rifle is alive and well.

Heckler & Koch showed off its M110A1 7.62 mm semi-automatic sniper rifle, selected for the Army’s Compact Semi-Automatic Sniper System (CSASS) program on the floor of the Association of the U.S. Army’s annual conference and exposition in Washington this week, a first up-close-and-personal look at the lightweight rifle.

The M1101A1 HK CSASS is a lightweight version of H&K’s G28E sniper rifle, one of which was also on display at the company’s AUSA spread. The company got to work after Army Contracting Command awarded the gun manufacturer a $44.5 million contract in 2016 for a version with a baffle-less OSS suppressor.

At just 16 inches long and 8.7 pounds with an empty magazine, the HK certainly meets the Army’s CSASS requirements size and weight requirements. It boasts a Schmidt & Bender 3-20X50 PMII Ultra Short Scope for improved optics and accuracy.

And with a similar look and feel to the standard M4 and M16 assault rifles, the M1101 will also be familiar to infantry soldiers who may end up wielding it downrange: In September, the branch announced plans to field a modified version specifically for regular infantrymen serving in a designated marksman role.

“The [engineering contract proposals] for the CSASS were implemented in response to user feedback and test results conducted by other government agencies,” PEO Soldier Debi Dawson told Task & Purpose of the late-September contract adjustment. “The modifications improve reliability, durability, ergonomics and extended range performance.”

The Army contract for the HK CSASS came with a maximum order of 3,643 rifles, although it’s still unclear if Congress’ ongoing budget tribulations will affect future acquisition.

And although there’s no word on when the lethal new rifle will end up in soldiers’ hands, the promise of a souped-up 7.62mm sniper rifle for a squad-level marksman is still worth looking forward to.

SEE ALSO: The Army's next body armor may get stronger the harder it's hit

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NOW WATCH: The Navy thinks this incredible VR video game can make machine gunners even more effective

The 40mm grenade has become a very valuable asset for a small infantry unit.

Each fire team of four grunts usually has at least one 40mm grenade launcher. These grenades can pack a punch, too.

According to the Federation of American Scientists, a M433 high-explosive, dual-purpose grenade can punch through about two inches of steel and inflict casualties to a distance of roughly 17 feet.

Often, these grenades were used on single-shot systems like the M79 or the M203. But soon, automatic grenade launchers were developed.

One that became iconic was the Mk-19 automatic grenade launcher. With a range of 1,500 yards, it could fire a grenade a second, and it weighs nearly 73 pounds. The Mk-19 is in service with 23 countries.

That said, it is getting long in the tooth. It entered service in 1967, so it’s been around for 50 years. That means that it’s about time to think about a replacement. According to General Dynamics that replacement may be available.

The Mk-47 Mod 0 40mm Advanced Grenade Launcher fires the same grenades as the Mk-19, but it also comes with a lot of advances to make it deadlier. One that the grunts will like is the weight: it comes in at just under 40 pounds — 32 pounds less than the Mk 19. The system also adds a new video sight that adds laser ranger-finding and night vision, allowing for better target acquisition.

Perhaps the deadliest accessory for the Mk-47 is the Mk-285 grenade. This is airburst ammunition, much like the 25mm rounds fired by the XM25 Punisher. How does it know when to airburst? It’s programmed with data from the advanced sight.

This new automatic grenade launcher may prove to be more popular than the new Carl that Saab released among American troops and their allies. The bad guys probably won’t like it very much, but who really cares what they think?

SEE ALSO: Up close and personal with the Army's lethal new sniper rifle

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NOW WATCH: Here are the countries the US sells the most weapons to

• Rep. Frederica Wilson called President Donald Trump "a sick man" after he said that the congresswoman "totally fabricated" comments he made to the widow of a US soldier killed earlier this month.
• Wilson charged that Trump told the widow, Myeshia Johnson, that her husband "must have known what he signed up for" when he joined the US military.

Rep. Frederica Wilson responded to President Donald Trump's claim that she "totally fabricated" comments that he made to the widow of a slain soldier, calling the president "a sick man."

"This man is a sick man," Wilson told CNN Wednesday morning. "He's cold-hearted and he feels no pity or sympathy for anyone."

On Tuesday, Wilson said that when Trump spoke to Myeshia Johnson, the widow of Sgt. La David Johnson, the president said the Army sergeant "must have known what he signed up for."

Wilson, who was riding in a limousine with Myeshia when the president called her, heard parts of the call on speakerphone. Sgt. Johnson was one of the four US Army Special Forces troops killed in action during a mission in Niger earlier this month.

On Wednesday morning, Trump accused Wilson of lying about what he said, adding that he has "proof" to support his denial.

"Democrat Congresswoman totally fabricated what I said to the wife of a soldier who died in action (and I have proof). Sad!"Trump wrote.

Wilson responded to Trump's accusation during an appearance on CNN's "New Day" on Wednesday morning, doubling down on her accusation.

"When she actually hung up the phone, she looked at me and said, 'He didn't even know his name,'" Wilson said of Myeshia. "Now that's the worst part."

Wilson said she asked to speak with the president after the call with Myeshia because she was "livid" after she heard Trump's comments.

"This is a young, young woman, who has two children, who is six months pregnant with a third child. She has just lost her husband,"Wilson told CNN in an interview on Tuesday night. "She was just told that he cannot have an open-casket funeral, which gives her all kinds of nightmares — how his body must look, how his face must look — and this is what the president of the United States says to her?"

The president over the past 24 hours has touted his own empathy for Gold Star families, but observers have criticized him for congratulating himself for continuing the presidential tradition of consoling the families of US servicemembers killed in action.

Earlier this week, Trump falsely accused President Barack Obama of rarely calling the families of slain soldiers, claiming that his predecessor neglected to contact Gen. John Kelly, Trump's chief of staff, after his son was killed in Afghanistan in 2010.

SEE ALSO: Trump says congresswoman 'totally fabricated' story that he told a soldier's widow 'he knew what he signed up for'

SEE ALSO: Trump reportedly tells the widow of a US soldier killed in action 'he knew what he signed up for'

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NOW WATCH: 'Rocket man is on a suicide mission': Trump threatens to 'totally destroy North Korea' in major UN speech

• The White House chief of staff, John Kelly, defended President Donald Trump's call to the widow of a slain soldier, saying the president intended to praise the soldier's bravery.
• Kelly said he advised the president on what to say and confirmed that Trump told the widow that her husband "knew what he signed up for" when he enlisted.
• Kelly also confirmed that President Barack Obama did not call him after Kelly's son was killed in action but said this was "not a negative thing."

The White House chief of staff, John Kelly, on Thursday responded to a firestorm of criticism President Donald Trump has faced over a congresswoman's account of his call to the widow of a slain soldier.

Kelly defended Trump, saying there was "no perfect way to make that phone call" to the family of Sgt. La David Johnson, one of four US Army Special Forces troops killed in action during a mission in Niger earlier this month, but that the president intended to commend Johnson's bravery.

"I said to him, 'Sir, there's nothing you can do to lighten the burden on these families,'" Kelly told reporters at a press briefing.

Kelly, a retired Marine Corps general whose son was killed in 2010 while serving in Afghanistan, said he advised Trump on what to say during calls he made to the families of the four troops.

Of Johnson, Kelly said: "He's a brave man, a fallen hero. He knew what he was getting himself into because he enlisted."

He added: "And he was where he wanted to be, exactly where he wanted to be, with exactly the people he wanted to be with when his life was taken. That was the message. That was the message that was transmitted."

Rep. Frederica Wilson, a friend of Johnson's family, said on Tuesday that Trump told the widow that her husband "knew what he signed up for" when he enlisted.

On Wednesday morning, Trump accused Wilson of lying about what he said. He added that he had "proof" to support his denial, but he did not elaborate.

"Democrat Congresswoman totally fabricated what I said to the wife of a soldier who died in action (and I have proof). Sad!"Trump wrote.

Wilson responded to Trump's accusation on Wednesday morning, calling the president "a sick man" who "feels no pity or sympathy for anyone."

Johnson's mother, Cowanda Jones-Johnson, said on Wednesday that she agreed with Wilson's account of the call.

"President Trump did disrespect my son and my daughter and also me and my husband," Jones-Johnson told The Washington Post.

Trump then doubled down on his denial of the congresswoman's account of the call.

"I didn't say what that congresswoman said, didn't say it all. She knows it," Trump told reporters on Wednesday, later adding: "I had a very nice conversation with the woman, with the wife, who sounded like a lovely woman. Did not say what the congresswoman said, and most people aren't too surprised to hear that."

Kelly said he was angered and saddened by Wilson's criticism of the call, adding that he walked around Arlington National Cemetery for over an hour to collect his thoughts.

"I was stunned when I came to work yesterday morning, and brokenhearted, at what I saw a member of Congress doing," he said.

He added: "And when I listened to this woman, what she was saying, what she was doing on TV, the only thing I could do to collect my thoughts was to go and walk among the finest men and women on this earth."

Kelly also confirmed Trump's claim earlier this week that President Barack Obama did not call Kelly's family after his son was killed in action.

Trump "asked me about previous presidents, and I said, 'I can tell you that President Obama ... did not call my family," Kelly said. "That was not a criticism. That was just to simply say I don't believe President Obama called. That's not a negative thing."

Watch a clip of Kelly's comments:

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Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl was set for sentencing on Oct. 23 after pleading guilty last week to abandoning his combat post in Afghanistan in 2009.

But the punishment of the much-despised soldier has been delayed, thanks to comments by President Donald Trump — comments that, due to his authority as commander-in-chief, could end up letting Bergdahl go free.

Bergdahl’s defense team filed a last-minute motion on Oct. 23 to completely dismiss the case against him, citing past statements in which Trump had referred to the sergeant as “a no-good traitor who should have been executed” during his presidential campaign. Those comments, the defense argues, are tantamount to unlawful command influence.

Army Col. Jeffery R. Nance, the military judge overseeing Bergdahl’s case, had ruled in February that Trump’s statements as a candidate (and, therefore, a private citizen) didn’t rise to the level of undue command influence. But Nance had also assured Bergdahl’s defense team that they could raise the issue again if Trump commented publicly on the case. Last week in a press conference, Trump said he’d decline any comment on Bergdahl’s guilty plea but quickly added: “I think people have heard my comments in the past.”

That statement, delivered as commander-in-chief, casts a pall over the sentencing proceedings, Bergdahl’s lawyers say. “President Trump stands at the pinnacle of an unbroken chain of command that includes key participants in the remaining critical steps of the case,” the defense argued in its motion, according to the Los Angeles Times.

On Oct. 23, Judge Nance allowed attorneys to question him regarding the impact of Trump’s statements, and he ultimately delayed the sentencing until Oct. 25 so he could thoroughly consider the defense motion, the Associated Press reports.

“I don’t have any doubt whatsoever that I can be fair and impartial in the sentencing in this matter,” Nance told the AP. “[But] the member of the public that we are interested in maintaining confidence in the military justice system… is going to be influenced by context.”

This is the second time in October alone that public posturing by a politician has threatened to taint military investigations. In an Oct. 4 letter to acting Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy, Sen. Marco Rubio demanded the branch nullify the military commission of 2nd Lt. Spenser Rapone, the West Point graduate, Afghanistan combat veteran, and self-identified member of the Democratic Socialists of America who posted photos of himself wearing a Che Guevara shirt under his uniform and a “Communism Will Win” sign tucked into his cover on Sept. 24.

The Air Force Court of Appeals in May 2017 also reversed a conviction in the sexual assault case U.S. v. Boyce after finding that public statements by Sens. Claire McCaskill and Kirsten Gillibrand regarding the “Marines United” scandal earlier this year created “the appearance of unlawful command influence” in the case, as retired Col. Don Christensen, a former Air Force chief prosecutor and current president of the advocacy group Protect Our Defenders, told Task & Purpose at the time.

The court wrote in Boyce that “the appearance of unlawful command influence” exists “where an objective, disinterested observer, fully informed of all the facts and circumstances, would harbor a significant double about the fairness of the proceeding” — a calculus evident in Nance’s own public comments on Oct. 23.

Boyce sets a very weak precedent; as Christensen told us, its influence on the Bergdahl proceedings will depend on whether judges like Nance read the brief in the first place.

But it may well be a factor in Nance’s reasoning. Given Trump’s talent for saying (and tweeting) more than previous presidents have seen fit to, it seems possible that the commander-in-chief may have inadvertently thrown a monkey wrench into Bergdahl’s sentencing — and, in turn, offered one of the most reviled figures of the Global War on Terror a get-out-of-jail-free card.

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• The Pentagon has confirmed that there are 6,000 US troops stationed throughout Africa.
• The four US soldiers killed in Niger were on a counterterrorism mission against ISIS-affiliated militants.
• The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff has committed to redoubling communication efforts between the Pentagon and Congress on military matters.

The Pentagon has announced that the US has over 6,000 soldiers stationed throughout Africa, even though several senators had previously been surprised to learn that there are even 1,000 American soldiers on the continent.

Gen. Joseph Dunford, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said at a press conference Monday that the US has about 800 soldiers stationed in Niger alone, which is where four American troops were killed earlier this month by ISIS-affiliated militants.

The press conference comes after several US senators including Sen. Lindsey Graham, Sen. Chuck Schumer, and Sen. John McCain had all expressed surprise that the US had a large number of troops in Niger and 6,000 across all of Africa.

"I didn't know there was 1,000 troops in Niger," Graham said Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press.""This is an endless war without boundaries and no limitation on time and geography ... You've got to tell us more."

Dunford described the US presence in Niger and other African countries as advisory and meant to help local allies defeat extremist militants, namely Al-Qaeda, ISIS, and the Nigerian Islamist group Boko Haram. He said the number of American troops currently in Niger is the largest amount present in any single African country.

Dunford acknowledged the lack of communication between military leaders and Congress, and said he and Secretary of Defense James Mattis would "double" their efforts to communicate better with senators.

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FORT BRAGG, N.C. (Reuters) - The military judge hearing U.S. Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl's desertion case was expected to announce a sentence on Friday for the soldier who endangered fellow troops by walking off his Afghanistan post in June 2009.

Bergdahl, 31, faces up to life in prison after pleading guilty to desertion and misbehavior before the enemy in the politically charged case. Republican Donald Trump, during his successful campaign for the presidency last year, called Bergdahl "a no-good traitor who should have been executed."

On Thursday, prosecutors asked Army Colonel Jeffery Nance to send Bergdahl to prison for 14 years for the hardships and injuries endured by service members ordered to search for him.

Defense lawyers said the 31-year-old Idaho native, who experts testified has several mental health conditions, should be spared confinement because he already spent five years suffering torture and neglect in Taliban captivity.

Nance began deliberations on Thursday and said he would resume Friday morning. He is likely to announce a decision on Friday.

The judge ruled earlier this week that Trump's comments had not influenced him nor affected Bergdahl's chances of a fair sentence, but said he would consider them a mitigating factor.

"Retribution and punishment is not eye-for-an-eye," Captain Nina Banks, one of Bergdahl's lawyers, said during closing arguments on Thursday at the Fort Bragg military base in North Carolina. "Sergeant Bergdahl has been punished enough."

Major Justin Oshana, a prosecutor, said there was no dispute that Bergdahl suffered terribly during his captivity. But so had the service members who risked their lives during hasty search-and-rescue missions, Oshana said.

"He would not have been in that position if not for his own choice," the prosecutor said.

In addition to prison time, the government said Bergdahl should be demoted to the lowest level of private before his punitive discharge from the Army. Defense lawyers asked that the soldier receive a dishonorable discharge.

Bergdahl was released in a 2014 Taliban prisoner swap brokered by the Democratic Obama administration and remains on active duty at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio.

(Reporting by Greg Lacour; Writing by Colleen Jenkins; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)

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