Meet the AF's new handy two-piece "GAU-5/A Aircrew Self Defense Weapon."

USAF Fighter Pilot's Now Flying With Converted M4 Rifles in Their Survival Kits

Once upon a time there was a funky little combo gun the M-6.  It was not a combat weapon.  It was designed to forage.  I don't know of anyone who actually used it for that purpose.

When I was flying (as a passenger until I was needed outside of the helo) I started with an M-16 and changed to an M-14 (hey, I didn't have to hump it through the boonies).  I met a few pilots and other flight status types.  None hand much more than a handgun, usually a .38 spl revolver.  It amazes me that it took this long for someone to finally come up with a rifle a downed aircrewman could actually use for more that rabbits and birds.

I see only one issue.  The pilots back then never, and I mean never, practiced with their handguns.  I really doubt they will actually be able to assemble this one much less hit anything with it.  After all, they aren't ever going to end up behind enemy lines.  That only happens to the other guy.

Nice.

It looks like a "take down" version... but why? Why not just separate the upper and lower?

I got to play with this system but not the AF designated version.  It's pretty nifty and well engineered.

It is a take down system.  The barrel and foregrip/rail system engages with two high leverage latches.  Engagement and lockup is solid.

Taking the upper and lower off a conventional AR involves a period of potential weakness.  When only the front takedown pin is all that's holding the rifle together,
that's kind of a delicate moment.  It would not take much of a lateral impact to do real damage to the hinge area and possibly render the rifle unserviceable.

That won't happen with this takedown system.

But I have to say that for the purpose the GAU-5/A serves,  they should have looked at some sub guns, too.  I'd think that an FN P90 might be a good fit for the role,
except for the issue of it not being offered in 5.56.

Haven’t we covered this in another thread?

I’m terrible at search so I’ll just speculate the dupe

I would speculate that one reason for the change is that today, the odds are that a downed pilot will be on his own for a much shorter length of time than in the past and in a less remote environment. Urban vs wilderness survival… If he is in a wilderness area, pickup will be much easier than a more urban area and so could be done sooner and so less need to hunt and more need to fight.

Interesting breakdown.

Sub gun kinda like this one?

I can believe they never practice.


Several (15+) years ago I was at an indoor range.  I was practicing with my - dearly departed - MAC 11/9.
I was getting better groups on Full Auto than that air farce person.

I was getting basketball sized groups versus sometimes not hitting the B27 target at all.