ORIGINAL: cma3366a
Let me get this straight, the wealthiest nation the world has ever seen, able to shower,though sometimes begrudgeingly, body armor, nightvision, kevlar helmets, and all other maner of expensive technical wonder upon its troops, has kept a completly worthless, Pieces of $hit rifle for over 43years, simply because it would cost to much to replace it? The same government who surpluses or destroys hundreds of thousands of 'superior' Garands and M14's, sends it's troops into battle with M16 simply as a cost cutting measure?
If that logic held true, our military would still be using M-60 tanks, Jeeps, and Flack Jackets.
Looks like you have a firm grasp of government logic!
The reason they have begun issuing all this stuff like kevlar and nightvision is that with recruiting numbers down, force multipliers have become necessary to field an effective army. They have also realized that equipment is cheaper than training an asset only to have him knocked out of action. If he does get knocked out of action, the equipment is transferrable to the next guy.
Switching an army's main battle rifle remains on of the most expensive enterprises a government can undertake. It's not just the cost of the new rifle, but the training and refitting of armorers, buying all the accessories that go with the new weapon (sights, grenade launchers, tactical lights, etc.), and getting rid of all the old rifles(I'll take one, thank you). Multiply that cost by every soldier, sailor, and airman who has a rifle, it gets expensive.