In a jungle fight if you're calling in air support , then you're probably already screwed. Later versions of the M16 were pretty reliable as long as it was kept fairly well maintained. It 's easy to jump on the bandwagon for something new. We could end up trading a good rifle for something less that looks good.
OR, we could get an outstanding weapon. The M16 series is far from perfect.
"Later versions of the M16 were pretty reliable as long as it was kept fairly well maintained."
An AK would keep shooting no matter HOW it was maintained, as long as the bore was clean and the mag had ammo in it. The M16's reciever still gets fouled by the direct-gas system it uses (which, BTW, also suffers from using that tiny, fragile gas tube), and so MUST be cleaned, and often. It still jams more often than most of its contemporaries AND predecessors. Certainly, no other rifle issued to U.S. forces as general issue got so poor a reputation, and inspired such negative confidence. Yes, it has been improved, but some of its deficiencies are fundamental, and could only be fixed by replacing the operating system itself.
One of the reasons I'm excited about this XM-8 concept is, in fact, the operating system, which is based upon the excellent one in the HK G-36, which itself is based upon the AR-180 action. That one, BTW, was designed specifically to correct the M-16's deficiencies. It also includes as part of the overall design many things which had to be hung on or snapped on to the M16.
Sure, I'd like it if it was in a better (and preferably newer) cartridge. I'd LOVE it if it were made by a tried-and-true American arms company like Winchester or Remington. I'd jump for joy if it were made in a civilian model as well. But the military has needed a new rifle for years, one which reflects the march technology has made in 40-odd years. It's been put off and put off while the brass kept tossing the money at their (admittedly necessary) tanks, jets, and helicopters, and then even FURTHER while those same brass searched for some "whiz-bang" contraption out of an "ALIENS" movie.
Trust me, in my Navy job, I use an entire AIRPLANE that is 50-year-old technology. It's time for the basics to be improved, and this is a long overdue step in the right direction.