Posted on 09/23/2004 12:51:06 PM PDT by 68skylark
Initial reports favor Heckler & Koch, which is building local plant for rifle assembly
George Thorogood's growling rock classic, "Bad to the Bone," set the mood Wednesday as two squads of soldiers leaped out of their Stryker armored vehicles at Fort Benning's Redcloud Range.
As the music from the loudspeakers faded away, the 29th Infantry Regiment troops hit the ground in a prone position and proceeded to blast away at green targets on a hillside about 100 yards away.
Dirt kicked up as one nine-man squad did their damage using the Colt M4 Carbine rifle that currently is the weapon of choice for soldiers on the battlefield. Then came the second squad brandishing the next-generation XM8 assault rifle, which looks to make the M-16 assault rifle immediately obsolete and eventually overcome the M4's popularity.
Afterward, the camouflaged warriors cast their vote. The XM8 appeared to be a heavy favorite.
"It blows the M4 out of the water," said Spc. Ian Mason, 20, from Grand Haven, Mich. "It's lightweight. It's easier to use. We haven't had a single malfunction on any of the weapons."
For Lt. Col. Mike Haerr, 40, an Illinois National Guardsman attending the annual Infantry Conference, the weapon would have extreme value on a battlefield or the mean streets of Baghdad.
"It's a streamlined system that's a lot more compact," he said. "So for soldiers mounted in a vehicle system or sitting in a front seat of a Humvee, it's a lot more maneuverable. You can get it out a window a lot quicker if it's not already out. I think that's what's going to make this weapon a little more popular with soldiers."
German manufacturer
Those votes of confidence are enough to put a smile on the face of Peter Simon, president of Sterling, Va.-based Heckler & Koch Defense Inc. H&K is the German gun manufacturer developing the XM8 for the military, with hopes of landing a contract bonanza to produce several million copies of the weapon. A $1 billion prize isn't out of the question, the company has said.
But first, a second round of testing in the desert, jungles and arctic must be completed. That will take until December. It will be followed by more evaluations with the possibility of a decision coming in February, Simon said. That could lead to an initial contract for 8,000 to 10,000 of the assault rifles -- enough to fill two brigade combat teams -- by December 2005.
Though H&K is constructing a 102,000-square-foot plant in Muscogee Technology Park, Simon said the XM8 won't necessarily be manufactured in Columbus from the start. Instead, it appears, the weapon's parts would be made in Germany, shipped to Columbus for assembly, then distributed to the military from a center being relocated here from Virginia.
The number of jobs locally -- originally pegged at about 200 -- also won't be created quite as fast as originally anticipated.
"I think the initial start will probably result in about 50 positions, and then we grow that as we grow the business," said Simon, downplaying expectations until the Department of Defense awards a major contract.
"All I'm trying to do is not count my chickens before they're hatched," he said. "We expect that we will (bid) this weapon system and production at several points throughout the life cycle of the weapon system."
Col. Michael Smith, program manager for the XM8 at Picatinny Arsenal in New Jersey, said H&K already has earned $30 million developing and testing the XM8. And he expects the company eventually will land the big prize and begin feeding the military a steady supply of the rifles.
"In the vast majority of cases, that is the same contractor, but it has changed in the past," Smith said.
Asked why the developing company has the edge in winning the production contract, the colonel responded: "He's got it locked. He understands exactly how to build it. No one's ever going to build it better than he can."
Ok..two questions...is this rifle supposed to totally replace the M-16 series, and will it be chambered in 5.56mm Nato or that new caliber...6.8MM?
bang bang bang!
got any pics or links?
My question, too: what caliber?
I agree that pictures make this kind of article better. However, no pics were posted with the article (or else I'd have linked to them). Hopefully some other freepers will come through for us.
In my last position before retiring from the Army this was one of the weapons development items I was charged with test and evaluation of. The earlier version was cancelled and the required capabilities were changed to be more technologically feasible. Hopefully, they will get it right this time.
Fox News web site can be searched for pics and a video.
They also came with an early variant of the MILES system.
I think it's .223. But someone can correct me if I'm wrong about that.
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ground/m8-oicw.htm
5.56mm and it is only 6.2 pounds.
A search on the web found this:
It is essentially the 5.56mm component of the Objective Individual Combat Weapon (OICW), with modular assemblies to make it stand-alone: "Multi-position, collapsible buttstock, forend, sight base, carrying handle, and bipod."
The XM8 can potentially be converted (with a barrel change) for different cartridges, such as the 7.26x39mm, 5.45x39mm, and 6.8x43mm.
It looks like something from a cheesy science fiction movie. From all I've heard, it's a wonderful weapon. But for fierce looks, I think I prefer the M-16/M-4 family.
Golly, I better get me one of them since the "assault rifle" ban has expired! (sarcasm intended)
I agree. An M4 looks mighty scary. An AK is also one that I rate high on "fright-factor"
I have seen this on mail call (history channel). It is one bad ambre. I would favor the XM8 as well. :)
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