July 1, 2006: One of the most serious problems infantrymen encounter is weight. Any new gear that is lighter than it's predecessor is greatly appreciated. So when a new, and 35 percent lighter, tripod for 5.56mm and 7.62mm machine-guns arrived, the troops were happy. M192 Lightweight Ground Mount weighed only 11.5 pounds, and was much more flexible, collapsible, useful and reliable than the mount it replaced. And when you are schlepping the mount through Iraqi heat, or up Afghan hills, the missing 6.5 pounds is much appreciated. The lighter mount enables the troops to arrive at the scene of a fight less exhausted, and thus more able to win the battle. In other cases, the same weight is carried, including an extra 6.5 pounds of ammo, medical supplies, batteries or what-have-you. The new mount has been available for less than a year, and it is still treasured, by those who used the old mount, because of its far superior performance, and light weight.
