“The Punisher,” the action-packed Marvel Comics franchise featuring vigilante protagonist Frank Castle, is a hugely successful comic book franchise. However, one real-life “Punisher,” the XM25 25x40 mm grenade launcher, the would-be successor to the M203 40 mm grenade launcher and M320 grenade launcher, turned out to be a failure.

Now there are two new weapons systems that aspire to succeed where the XM25 “Punisher” failed: the Squad Support Rifle System (SSRS) and the PGS-001.

The Basic Premise

According to Joseph Trevithick of The WarZone in a November 17, 2024, article titled “One Of These Futuristic Grenade Launchers Could Succeed Where The Army’s ‘Punisher’ Failed,” both the SSRS and the PGS-001 are finalists in a U.S. Army’s xTechSoldier Lethality challenge. This challenge is the army’s ploy to devise a high-tech 30 mm Precision Grenadier System (PGS) that troops could use to engage targets ranging from enemy personnel behind cover to light armored vehicles to unmanned aerial vehicles. The counter-drone requirement in particular is something that actually predates but has also now been given a far greater sense of urgency by the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Additional requirements for the PGS program include:

-An air-bursting “Counter Defilade Round” that can “precisely and quickly defeat personnel targets” behind cover.

-An overall length of 34 inches (60.96 centimeters) or less.

-A maximum weight of 14.5 pounds (6.57 kilograms).

-A minimum effective range of 1,640 feet (500 meters).

As Army Contracting Command prescribed in a contracting notice from February 2023:

“The PGS will be a man portable integrated weapon system that enables precision engagements to destroy personnel targets in defilade and in the open with increased lethality and precision compared to the legacy M203/M320 grenade launchers … The PGS will provide overmatch to comparable threat grenade launchers in near peer formations in future operating environments (jungle, urban, woodland, subterranean, desert, day/night/obscured). The PGS is envisioned to consist of a weapon, a fire control, and a suite of ammunition which enables the user to engage targets in defilade/cover, hovering UAS targets, conduct door breaching, engage close combat targets, and light armored targets.”

Finalist # 1: The SSRS

The SSRS is a joint venture between Barrett Firearms, best known for their legendary .50 caliber M82-series rifles, and MARS, Inc. The tandem showed off a model at the Association of the U.S. Army’s (AUSA) main annual conference in October 2024. The model had the following features and specifications:

· Caliber and Capacity: 30x42mm projectiles in a five-round box magazine (NOTE: this is a major step up from the single-shot capacity of the M203)

o Ammo Types: high-explosive, incendiary, armor-piercing, dedicated training rounds, “close quarters battle” (CQB) shell (buckshot-like canister round)

· Weight: Just under 14 lbs (6.35 kg)

· Pistol grip, trigger assembly, and fire control selector switch that all mimic AR-15/M16/M4-series rifles

· Topside attachment rail for optics such as the Vortex Optics XM157

Finalist # 2: The PGS-001

The PGS-001 comes courtesy of FN America, the U.S.-based subsidiary of famed Belgian small arms company Fabrique National Herstal (best known for the FAL 7.62x51 mm battle rifle and the P-35 Browning Hi-Power 9mm semiautomatic pistol). The company unveiled its model of the PGS-001 at last year’s AUSA.

As far as can be ascertained, the FN offering also fires some type of 30 mm projectile. However, Trevithick notes that known specifics are less readily available than in the case of the Barrett/MARS offering, but the layout is similar to the SSRS and is also able to accommodate the XM157 optic. The PGS-001 distinguishes itself from the SSRS via its large muzzle brake, which would help mitigate recoil (especially useful for firing rapid follow-up shots), but at the price of significant muzzle blast and flash.

The Way Forward?

The SSRS and PGS-001 are considered the two finalists. Trevithick notes that there is still at least an outside possibility for some dark horse contenders such as:

-American Rheinmetall Munitions Squad Support Weapon Achieving Precision Grenadier System Objectives.

-Knight Technical Solutions (not to be confused with Knight’s Armament Company) Multipurpose Intelligent Grenade System (MIGS) (a six-shot revolver-type design).

-Plumb Precision Products P3-M110 17.5 mm (though quite frankly, that caliber sounds more than a bit undersize for the Army’s requirements).

Time will tell.

About the Author: Christian D. Orr

Christian D. Orr is a Senior Defense Editor for National Security Journal (NSJ). He is a former Air Force Security Forces officer, Federal law enforcement officer, and private military contractor (with assignments worked in Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Kosovo, Japan, Germany, and the Pentagon). Chris holds a B.A. in International Relations from the University of Southern California (USC) and an M.A. in Intelligence Studies (concentration in Terrorism Studies) from American Military University (AMU). He has also been published in The Daily Torch , The Journal of Intelligence and Cyber Security, and Simple Flying. Last but not least, he is a Companion of the Order of the Naval Order of the United States (NOUS).

Image: Shutterstock.