The money is coming.

The U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee has approved a 2020 spending bill which will allow the U.S. Army to get some serious helicopter upgrades and replace the venerable M249 Squad Automatic Weapon.

In a massive $750 billion spending bill, the move will authorize $806.8 million for refurbished AH-64E Apaches, as well as $105 million for three brand-new helicopters.

According to Military.com, the committee approved $126 million for the Next-Generation Squad Weapon (NGSW), which will replace the M249 and M4 family with new designs chambered in 6.8mm.

AAI Corporation/Textron Systems, General Dynamics-OTS Inc., PCP Tactical LLC and Sig Sauer Inc. and FN America LLC are scheduled to develop prototypes.

This first appeared in WarIsBoring here.