Rifle squad composition

[Sabre]

However, all belt feds need tender treatment, that's why I don't believe they belong below Company level. Maybe the PKM might work -- it's pretty Joe-proof...

I note that SOCOM has ordered beaucoup SCAR Heavies in 7.62 and fewer SCAR Lights in 5.56 than originally contemplated.

So, let me make sure that I have this straight: the big problems with having MG's down in the platoons is that the platoon-level leaders don't have the experience to handle them, there is no depth of experience among the machine-gunner crews (no slots in the TOE for machinegun NCO's), and there are many tactical situations where the Company CO needs 3 or 4 guns to shoot the rest of the company onto the obj.

*If* I were in charge, the company commander would have a heavy weapons group of say, 3 GPMG's (heck, you can even say they are in the "sustained fire role") and 3 60mm Mortars. Each platoon still gets their 2 or 3 MGs. Thus a support by fire position could have the 3 company GPMGs, plus a rifle platoon with 2 or 3 more, for a total of 5 or 6.

The company commander has his own machineguns, there are slots in the TOE for NCO's that are machinegun specialists (who back in garrison can ensure the gunners in the platoons are well trained, and the weapons are well cared for), and platoons get some tactical flexibility if, in the chaos of combat, they end up needing that firepower.
...and if our infantry platoon leaders don't know how to employ belt-fed MGs, then we had better'd teach them, because they are about one sniper's bullet away from company command.

Oh, and on the last note, I have been quite disappointed to see how the "great rifle caliber debate" has panned out. The competition between 6.8 and 6.5 only served to stall the process long enough for the "5.56 is good enough" idea to find a voice, and Lord knows, it only takes the tiniest obstacle to stop a change from occuring. The salient point, I would think, is that no one has touted the 5.56 round as being *better* than the other calibers, merely that it is "OK". We pay top dollar for this stuff - we can do a little better than just "OK"?