How will when and if the Squad Support Weapon 40mm arrive make changes the SSW role? Will you have 1 LMG and 1 40mm SSW?
German light infantry when the SSW40/Hydra concept was first conceived had a rather different, much heavier armed makeup compared to international counterparts. This included not just three dismounted machine guns (plus the one on the APC), but also no less than four 40mm grenade launcher tubes in a squad.
I guess the possible business avenue Rheinmetall saw was a heavier replacement for the separate grenade launchers in such a layout, especially as the ones currently used are fairly old. In reality it's of course a weapon in search of a role.
Squad outfit:
10 men total - 1 senior NCO (sergeant) as squad leader, 1 junior NCO (corporal) as troop-leader-on-demand, 8 Enlisted
- 1 heavy machine gun, typically 7.62mm (on Fuchs APC - .50cal or 40mm used in deployments)
- 1 medium machine gun, 7.62mm (for dismounted use with tripod carried on vehicle)
- 2 light machine guns, 5.56mm (as squad support weapons)
- 1 anti-tank rocket launcher (two rounds carried)
- 2 grenade launchers, 40mm
- 2 rifles, 5.56mm with grenade launchers, 40mm
- 2 rifles, 5.56mm (secondary weapon for the two men with medium MG and rocket launcher)
- 2 rifles, 5.56mm (primary weapon for the two men carrying the separate grenade launchers)
- 2 PDWs, 4.6mm (primary weapon for APC driver and squad leader; squad leader sometimes switched to G36 instead)
- 2 pistols, 9mm (secondary weapon for squad support machine gunners)
- 2 flare pistols, 26mm (squad leader and troop leader, usually)
That's the setup from about 10-15 years ago. Some rolling changes with regard to introduction of new hardware since then, and overall there's a sorta toolbox approach in the background through which the squad can be equipped differently based on tasks and missions (e.g. switching two rifles for DMRs), and there's pushes for some medium-term enhancements in the sense of "more" (e.g. second rocket launcher).