a third m-240 has been added to the weapons section, is that true? if so that would mean 1 240 per squad, can anyone comment or add truth to this..

If you ask me - okay, so nobody did, I'll tell you anyway  - things are more of a squad fight than ever.  With that in mind.....the USMC should stick with the traditional 13 man squad of three fire teams. 

 

I thought the C2 team at squad level sounded interesting to begin with.  The more I think about the proposal the more it seems too specialized.  It seems like the squad wouldn't be so much of a rifle squad anymore but a big recon/forward observer/CAS direction team.  Is that really what's needed in the "Three block war?"

 

The only thing I can think of that might improve the USMC squad's capability is to heavy up one of the fire teams and lighten the other two.  We know: the Germans were pretty successful employing the MG42 at squad level in WWII; close combat will always require an adequate number of riflemen to clear a position.  It's possible to have both too little and too much suppression.

 

With those two things in mind maybe the USMC should consider keeping their tried, tested and true squad structure, yet putting a GPMG and squad DM in one team and removing the SAWS from the other two.  One suppression team and two clearing teams for the squad fight in the "Thee block war."  Something similar to this was suggested in the automatic rifle article. 

 

Having machine gun and rocket squads at platoon and company level seems like you're organizing for a more open, traditional fight with conventional attacks in a German forest and grazing fire in the defense. 

 

 

In my 40+ years of military reading and training theres been dozens of proposals for reorganizing the USMC rifle squad.  All were perfectly valid for the circumstances concieved for, and none perfect or desirebale for a majority of the likely circumstances.  As we often sarcasticlly said  "Semper Flexibility".   

3 m-240,s is the way to go  that will fill in the squad....

i  believe the army ranger squads are made up this way, 2 fire teams and a m-240  now they are adding the Mk-48 when it comes on line but for now they use the 240b. but i do think the rangers,  if anything should add a third fire team.

 I've actually heard of a 8 man seal squad in which four of them were carrying m-60s, now that's fire power down range..

referring to the 10 man squad the Germans had in ww2 built around a mg-42 gun team is pretty impressive, i don't know how many squads they had in a platoon, but if somebody know the mtoe of that, that would be cool. also does the current German army still made up into a 10 man squad ??thank you