Photo By Sgt. Matthew Connor | Sgt. Trever Linberg, a helicopter repairman with Delta Company, 1st Attack...... read more read more
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FORT DRUM, NEW YORK– Explosions echoed through the training area as 10th Mountain Division (LI) Soldiers trained with their newly issued XM152 Mounted Machine Gun Optic for the Mark 19 40 mm grenade machine gun June 6, 2025.
Designed to enhance situational awareness and survivability, the XM152 MMO allows gunners to neutralize threats more effectively through accurate, controlled fire at various distances.
Before heading to the range, Soldiers received hands-on instruction from the Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command on the optic’s capabilities and operation.
“This optic is important because we need first-round hit probability,” said Tyler Griffeth, a training instructor with TACOM. “A lot of times with the Mark 19 using the iron sights the Soldiers are really focused on the iron sight when we really need the big picture and that’s the battlefield.”
The optic enhances engagement capabilities in two key ways: first, by offering a wide field-of-view holographic reticle for rapid, close-range target acquisition, and second, by incorporating a three-times magnifier to extend the effective range and improve accuracy.
“This now switches it to where the Soldier can be more threat focused, which will increase their first round hit probability and their overall lethality,” said Griffeth. “Now that technology like this becomes available to the Soldier, we’re going to get out there and get more lethal.”
After the Soldiers achieved familiarization, they went out to the range the following day to engage targets using the new optic. The instructors joined them, ensuring that all of the Soldiers had the proficiency and knowledge of the new optic.
Sgt. Trever Linberg, a helicopter repairman with Delta Company, 1st Attack Reconnaissance Battalion, 10th Aviation Regiment, 10th Combat Aviation Brigade, 10th Mountain Division (LI), says that the optic provides him with confidence. This range was his first time shooting the Mark 19, and he believes that with this capability, he would be able to qualify on the weapon easily.
With new knowledge, experience, and confidence, these Soldiers can return to their units as subject matter experts and bring their fellow Soldiers up to speed on the latest equipment, making the 10th Mountain Division even more capable.
“I wish I had something like this back when I was in the service,” Griffeth said. “I wasted a lot of ammo that could have been right on target the first time.”
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| Date Taken: | 06.06.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 06.10.2025 17:25 |
| Story ID: | 499929 |
| Location: | FORT DRUM, NEW YORK, US |
| Web Views: | 84 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
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