This is being produced under license by Heckler und Koch, correct?
No it is a H&K design. However, H&K is constructing a 102,000-square-foot plant in Muscogee Technology Park, 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.
Fom the Columbus Ledger:-
"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."