Actually Wolfy Not likely. The more likely cause of a miss On these weapons is conventional issues of wind. The Smart scope is a range finder, all it does is judge range and interface with the bullet well giving the shooter a likely angle of fire.
Well, we need to consider the system as a whole, rather than look at specific facets.
Yes, wind will be a factor to consider, which might throw off a shot, but the higher muzzle velocity, flatter trajectory, shorter round flight time, as well as larger effective blast radius of the ZH05 all make it more likely that it will score an effective hit first shot.
In effect, you have two competing schools of thoughts in conflict here: is it better to have a higher chance of a first shot kill or better to scarify first shot kill probability and increase cycle rate to allow a rapid follow up shot?
In addition, barring some very rare scenarios where the wind is hitting the round pretty much at 90 degrees, wind will likely affect both the direction and flight time of the round, meaning the round is just as likely to drop short/go long as it is to go wide. Bullet flight time is not really a concern for traditional straight line bullets given the velocities involved, but for slow flying grenades, it can easily be the difference between a hit or miss for time fuses rounds. As such, you are likely to need to recalibrate detonation point, which will bring the time to follow up shot to a comparable level for both weapons.
Now this is a urban Weapon. a system meant for use around 3 D environments. And as such there is another point here In the case of multiple targets if you know that the enemy is around a fixed object you can then use that Object as frame of reference. IE If the baddies are in that building and that Car in front of the building is also giving them cover then I range off the Wall, Add a meter for the guys in the building take them and then subtract for the ones behind the car and take them.
Actually, in urban combat, it would be pretty rare for bad guys to be clustered so conveniently for you, especially with smart grenade systems in play.
Most back streets and side alley are so narrow both sides of it can be effectively cleared by a single air burst round. Enemies are far more likely to go high or set up scattered defensive hard points instead of clustering up so much.
For more open engagements, you will again likely need to calculate new detonation points for each round anyways, and in such pitched battles, the odds are good that the enemy will have similar smart grenade systems in the same action, so its even more important to shoot and scoot rather than dally too long in one place.
I would also like to point out that as a Urban weapon It's likely to be used from Cover against cover. Which means in the case of heavy fire the want of not sticking your head up well under fire. XM29 was one of the first attempts as computerized Off shoulder shooting. And Zh05 is meant to follow that to.
If you have a Soldier holding the weapon off hand Here the Semi auto would be advantageous as the system would cycle the next round where the Zh05 would demand taking down and reloading for next shot. If you look at the XM25 it has a very large wrap around trigger guard for off hand shooting.
Again Zh05 has similar Concepts in the angled grip but with single shot if you need to follow up rapidly your first option is the Carbine your only other would be reload. And Although your Described method might work fine form the shoulder or even prone I bet it would require in human levels of contortion from off hand.
Agreed with the advantages of off hand shooting and corning shooting, but that is actually an area where the ZH05 is clearly superior to semi-autos like the XM25.
With a semi auto like the XM25, off hand shooting means having to take the ejected shell casing in the face. Not a problem with a bolt action.
Given how much recoil the XM25 has, and the kick it gives even when shouldered, I am also more than a little sceptical of just how effective it is likely to be when fired in corner shooting mode, where the weapon is held in front of the shooter facing 90 degrees from him.
The 5.8mm on the ZH05 would be far more controllable and accurate when fired like that.
Sure you can say bring up the second Zh05 for the second target and here could also be countered with a conventional 40mm set up to air burst In the end before the decade is out there will be 2 smart launchers in the squad.
Well, that's not a fair comparison is it? Since it's just as feasible to make the underslung conventional grenade launchers on the Type 95s smart as it is to make those under M4s.
If the US is introducing massed smart upgrades for their traditional underslung launchers, odds are the PLA will also have the same option, which, if exercised, will still give them more smart launchers per squad at the end of the day.
Except you just said that is how the LG5 works
Yes, because the LG5 is not supposed to be embedded at the infantry squad level.
The LG5 is a long range direct fire infantry support weapon, much like your HMGs and snipers. the ZH05 is an assault weapon for frontline troops.
The LG5 can afford to be less mobile, because their longer reach allows them to hang back further from the action, where the vast majority of enemy troops and weapons cannot effectively engage them.
Snipers are not fixed either They move and Engage where needed.
Yes, they are not literally rooted, but snipers really really don't like moving and try not to whenever possible.
But more over I would also add that your claim is a triple fallacy as the West has been adding Squad designated marksmen to their squads to and farther more the weapons chose for that role in the west these days tend to be 7.62x51mm weapons which have a farther reach then the Intermediary 5.8x42mm Rounds chosen by the PLA for there doctrine. Meaning that they can reach farther from the infantry squad vs the Type 88 which by using the Assault rifle caliber is operating at the same limits of their assault rifles.
Haha, I detect a hind of spin here.
The western preference for DMRs is one of the key indications of the increasingly fluid nature of urban combat. A trend that is almost certain to vastly accelerate as smart launchers become more proliferated and armies need to concern how best to fight against them as well as with them.
The larger cal DMR favoured by western forces in recent wars are mostly chosen for them superior stopping power in urban Iraq, and for their longer reach in rural Afghanistan. You should know this better then me.
Now, had you stressed the better stopping power of the 7.62, there would be no arguments here. That's just a fact.
However, the range advantage is really not all that applicable for true urban combat scenarios, especially for squad designated marksmen, who need to stay with their squads!
So, would you rather have the entire squad hang back, where only the SDM could effectively engage? Or does the SDM hang back several hundred meters plinking away while his squad scurry off to get within range themselves?
Neither are particularly attractive options, and in the vast majority of engagements the squad leader is going to be thinking how best to deploy his squad, meaning they are going to be pushing forwards so everyone could get stuck in, and he is unlikely to be inclined to brook any suggestion of the SDM staying several hundred meters further back by his lonesome.
So in all likelihood, the SDM is going to be lugging his big rifle well within 400m of the enemy to set up shop with the rest of his squad, effectively removing most, if not all of the range advantage the 7.62 might have over the 5.8.
Next the XM25 guy is moving with his squad he is not a sniper he is a active member of the mission and Maneuvers.
Exactly! The same applies to the SDM.
20mm charge yearling more then a 25 is dubious.
Not really when you consider that the Chinese 20mm is for single purpose grenades, whereas the US 25mm is multi-purpose.
That means the Chinese single role grenades can pack a smaller fuse, leaving more room for explosives. The round can also be better designed to maximise their effectiveness in the roles given without needing to be constrained by the need to be effective in multiple, often very different, roles and scenarios, much like how 20mm frag or AP rounds can be more effective in their respective specialists roles compared to a 30mm DP round.
