True Velocity Acquires LoneStar Future Weapons for $84M: Are the GD-OTS RM277-R and RM227 AR 6.8mm TVCM Bullpup Next Generation Squad Weapons (NGSW) Going Commercial Soon?

By David Crane
david (at) defensereview (dot) com

November 10, 2021

Back in May of last year (2020), DefenseReview (DR) published a quick heads-up piece on True Velocity lightweight, polymer-cased rifle ammo, since we found it intriguing. Well, cut to 2021, and it looks like True Velocity’s driving full-bore into the tactical firearms game. To wit, they’ve acquired Texas-based LoneStar Future Weapons for a reported $84M (Million).

The two companies had previously teamed up in a strategic partnership, and taken over General Dynamic’s Ordnance and Tactical Systems’ (GD-OTS) technical data package on their developmental weapons system for the US Army’s Next Generation Squad Weapons (NGSW) program. The weapons themselves were called the General Dynamics -OTS RM277-R and RM227 AR 6.8mm TVCM bullpup weapons, and they were designed specifically to utilize True Velocity’s 6.8mm TVCM polymer-cased rifle ammo.

Editor’s Note: DR published a detailed piece on the RM277-R (Rifle) and RM277-AR NGSW weapons earlier this year, and it’s worth a look.

Of course, the 6.8 TVCM ammo itself is arguably the most interesting aspect of the NGSW program, and this point has been rather well-articulated by True Velocity’s Chief Marketing and Sales Officer Patrick Hogan as follows:

There’s no question that the US Army’s Next Generation Squad Weapon program is THE most significant small arms and small-caliber ammunition program of the last century. But, really, the name of the program is a bit misleading. Ya’ know, at True Velocity, we see this more as an ammunition program than a weapon program. And, the problem is that we’re currently sending our soldiers and Marines onto the battlefield firing 5.56[mm NATO ammo] with a 62gr (grain) projectile [or] a 55gr projectile at an adversary that’s got superior ammunition, a greater effective range, and who’s now wearing Level III body armor.

So, we’re in this position of overmatch. So, the US Army decided that we were gonna’ take a government-proprietary projectile and a 6.8[mm] cartridge, we were gonna’ send that projectile further and faster downrange, and we were gonna’ reduce the weight of the ammunition by over 20% (percent), minimum.

True Velocity’s Chief Research and Innovation Officer Lonnie Burrow points out how despite the fact that the new 6.8mm TVCM round’s roughly the same size as the legacy 7.62mm NATO (7.62x51mm NATO) round, the 6.8mm TVCM round can deliver far more energy to the target, presumably also with superior hard-target penetrative capability, including the ability to better penetrate enemy infantry body armor.

Company Contact Info:

LoneStar Future Weapons
Email Contact Page: https://www.lonestarfutureweapons.com/contact-us
Website: https://www.lonestarfutureweapons.com

True Velocity Ammunition
1036 Nicholson Rd.
Garland, TX 75042
Phone: 972.487.6500
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://www.tvammo.com

General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems (GD-OTS) Corporate Offices
11399 16th Court North, Suite 200
St Petersburg, FL 33716
Main switchboard: 727-578-8100
Website: https://www.gd-ots.com

RUAG Holding AG (Norma Ammo)
Stauffacherstrasse 65
3000 Bern 22 Switzerland
Phone: +41 31 376 64 50
Fax: +41 31 376 64 51
Website: https://www.ruag.com/en

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