The U.S. Army has ordered 200 experimental XM8 5.56mm assault rifles from German firm Heckler-Koch. The XM-8 is derived from the hugely successful Heckler-Koch G36 assault rifle. This weapon was modified to serve as the 5.56mm portion of the XM29 OICW weapon (which has a 20mm computer controlled weapon on top). The XM29 has not been able to get it's weight down to acceptable levels, but the Heckler-Koch portion has been very impressive. So the decision was made to develop the Heckler-Koch 5.56mm weapon into a new American assault rifle. In recent tests, G36s were fired thousands of times, without being cleaned and in dusty and sandy terrain, and the weapons didn't jam. This was no accident, as Heckler-Koch have developed an innovative mechanism for the G36 that keeps crud from building up and jamming the weapon. It's expected that the XM8 will demonstrate the same degree of reliability during late 2003 field tests. While the major appeal of the XM8 is reliability, Heckler-Koch designs are also noted for their flexibility. The XM8 will also be able to easily switch barrels (standard, short for a carbine and longer and heavier for light machine-gun use). Heckler-Koch can also easily adapt their rugged design to accept a larger caliber round. This is important as many in the army are asking for something in the 6-7mm range to replace the current 5.56mm. A larger round would reduce instances where one hit did not knock down an enemy soldier, and would also make it easier to blast through doors, walls and dirt. On the downside, Congress may be reluctant to spend billions of dollars on a German design, after Germany tried to block America's invasion of Iraq. Sensing this possibility, Heckler-Koch has already begun scouting possible locations for a U.S. based plant to built the M8 rifle.
