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The OICW has been in the works for quite some time. The biggest problem they keep having is weight. It's about 4-8lbs too heavy right now, and with the target weight set at an unwieldy 14lbs already, you can imagine how heavy the current model is.
The current action in Iraq is proving to be a boon to the OICW program in one way. Due to the serious problems the Army continues to have with the M-16A2/M4, they are kicking the timeline for the OICW into higher gear. They're going to phase in the weapon in its' subsystems first. In other words, the US military will get it's OICW capable G-36 variant, then the grenade launcher will happen when the weight is low enough, then the optics will hits when the weight and usability problems are solved. No matter what, the Army is set to have G-36 variants in the field in the next two years.
Personally, I can see the usefulness of the OICW for combat units, but I think that it won't be a widespread issue piece simply because of the dual concerns of weight and logistics. The US soldier already carries a serious amount of weight in non-weapon gear. Adding precipitously with a far heavier weapon and MUCH heavier ammo weight (those grenades will get heavy in bulk, especially as they are talking multiple purpose loads, necessitating redundant ammo loadout, weight-wise).
Neat pics on that page, though I do think we do with a tad less vitriol on firearms. There's no real reason to post unrelated opinion on the evilness of an inanimate object if you are simply here to post a website of information on said inanimate objects. It just invites flames, and we try hard to be as flame-free as possible here.
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