The Marine Corps began issuing a new Squad Aiming Laser, or SAL, to infantry students at the School of Infantry in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, this summer. The system replaces the legacy PEQ-16, which had been in service since the mid-1990s, and is described by program officials as a “generational leap” in aiming technology.
The SAL reduces weight by about three ounces and shortens the device by nearly half an inch, improving weapon balance during fast-paced operations. Its uniform beam improves target identification for Marines using Night Vision Goggles, enabling faster target acquisition at greater distances. The system also replaces physical controls with all-digital activation, marking what one program officer called a “fundamental shift” in small-unit night operations.
A $249 million contract awarded in February 2025 to New Hampshire-based Envision Technology will supply SAL systems and parts through 2030. The Marine Corps’ move follows a similar $49.9 million contract SOCOM awarded to B.E. Meyers & Company in mid-2024 for a smaller laser aiming system.
