The push for new AGLs has slowed down, due to more buys of Mk-19 and the infantry no longer really pushing the capability (AGLs and their ammo are really heavy, who knew?).
Years ago back when Infantry 2012 was some far off magical date in the future and the proposal first came out for a four men team to operate a 40mm AGL as part of an infantry platoon I crunched some numbers and wrote a little piece about how you could just equip that four man team with two 40mm MGL grenade launchers and achieve much the same fire on target for far less weight to carry around. And you would just use them similar to two man 66 volleys rather than have to be pegged to a tripod emplacement and ATV.
Here is the old tab data I did on comparing the lightest 40mm AGL with the MGL option:
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And some old text:
40mm AGLs: Are way too heavy to be practically deployed within an infantry platoon. They can only fire from a tripod so are effectively fixed and exposed to enemy fires when deployed. This may be OK for a battalion level supporting DFSW platoon but these weapons will have to stay with the infantry platoon which means they remain close to the enemy. So why not replace the infantry platoon AGL with a more portable 40mm rapid fire system? The Milkor MGL XRGL40 is the latest version of the six round revolver 40mm grenade launcher. It can fire a new round called 40x51mm (it can still fire the legacy M203 compatible 40x46mm) with only half the muzzle velocity of the AGL’s 40x56mm (and two thirds more than the 40x46mm). Firing these grenades the maximum effective range against a point target is 800m. Combined with a digital fire control system sight like the Vinhog Vingsight the MGL should be just as accurate as the AGL out to this range. This sight as even more optical magnification than the Mk 47’s PWG-1 sight plus a laser rangefinder and computer controlled aiming point adjustment. The key thing is the MGL (with a Vingsight) weighs only 8kg. Which means for the same weight as one Mk 47 AGL and 32 rounds you can carry two MGLs and 184 rounds (see attached table for a full comparison). Since it is fired from the shoulder it is far more practical within the platoon.
HE, SMK and ILLUM: For targets beyond the effective range of the 40mm and firing smoke, illumination and target marking for close air support the best weapon is the 60mm commando mortar. This can replace the 84mm Carl Gustav that is only barely suited to firing high angle fires (like illumination) and has a very limited rate of fire and man portable unit of fire. It also has a huge firing signature and requires two men to operate. The 60mm commando mortar only weighs 7kg and requires no costly sighting units and fire control system for accurate fires. Each mortar bomb weighs under 2kg and is quite compact. Each soldier in the platoon can carry one (or two) attached to their day pack giving a 40 round unit of fire for each mortar. Each HE bomb has 300g of explosives and up to 600 fragments and their plunging fire they are far more lethal than even bursts of 40mm grenades or the direct and grazing fire of 84mm HE rounds. With a rate of fire of 12 rpm they are highly effective for laying down smoke.
66 LAW: Replacing the 84mm Carl Gustav with a 60mm commando mortar means the platoon will be deficient in direct fires for engaging firing positions with overhead protection and vehicles. However this task can be carried out by the 66mm M72 LAW. Without the need to carry the heavy Carl Gustav, its sighting system and ammunition additional 66s can be issued to the platoon. Fired two by two at each target the 66 is very effective and very light weight (compared to the 84).
