The Army pulled the M7 rifle from independent testing - Why?

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The Army pulled its new M7 rifle, the one replacing the M4, from independent testing under the Director, Operational Test And Evaluation, or DOT&E. (Yes, I say it wrong every single time in the video. I don’t know why in my head it is ODT&E.) Anyway, the decision to pull the weapon before it completes testing in a tropical environment has some concerned.

But maybe the rifle is ready to go and the negative feedback is isolated or outdated. The Army will still conduct testing, so it isn’t like they’re just saying all is well, but removing a layer of relatively unbiased feedback doesn’t inspire confidence.

In this video, we discuss what led the Army to this decision, why it might be a mistake, or why it could be a way to reduce unnecessary red tape and get a good weapon into soldier’s hands sooner.

Intro - 00:00-01:10

Ad read - 01:10-02:36

What is the M7? - 02:36-05:13

Removed from oversight - 05:13-07:11

What is DOT&E - 07:11-10:56

The Army’s take - 10:56-13:04

Why this matters - 13:04-End

Written by: Kyle Gunn

Edited by: Savvy

Task & Purpose is a military news and culture-oriented channel. We want to foster discussion about the defense industry.

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