Heckler & Koch XM8 Lightweight Modular Weapon System

[Triton]

Heckler & Koch XM8 Lightweight Modular Weapon System, a 5.56x45mm NATO round firing lightweight assault rifle system that was under development for the United States Army from the late 1990s to early 2000s. The XM8 program was canceled in Fall 2005. The H&K XM8 was derived from the H&K/Alliant Tech Systems XM29 OICW (Objective Individual Combat Weapon) and was also known as Objective Individual Combat Weapon Increment 1.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XM8_rifle
http://www.inetres.com/gp/military/infantry/rifle/XM8.html
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ground/m8-oicw.htm

 

[Firefly 2]

There is a pic of a contractor ( Blackwater?) sporting an XM8 in Iraq. It baffles me why a private firm would get these. I saw this pic in the French mag RAIDS.

 

[Triton]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63cxeEq5gUk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guOuVEWcXM8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vnqm5ChDGM

 

[Triton]

There is a pic of a contractor ( Blackwater?) sporting an XM8 in Iraq. It baffles me why a private firm would get these. I saw this pic in the French mag RAIDS.

According to Wikipedia, 230 developmental prototypes of the XM8 were manufactured by H&K. As a security contractor to the United States government, particularly the Department of State, and the ability to operate secret facilities, I presume that Blackwater (now Xe) can procure/purchase weapons and equipment that would not be available to other private firms.

 

[sferrin]

I love that XM8. The new FN SCAR looks like a pile of dog---- by comparison.

 

[Triton]

I love that XM8. The new FN SCAR looks like a pile of dog---- by comparison.

It is an attractive and futuristic looking weapon. Probably the reason it is featured in the Sony PlayStation 3 video game Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, the video game Fallout 3, the video game Tom Cancy's End War, the upcoming Paramount Pictures movie GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra, and numerous toys, games, and modifications. There is also a BB-firing replica of the XM8 manufactured by Airsoft.

Sorry, couldn't resist posting the following image of an Airsoft XM8 replica painted in pink.

 

[Triton]

Additional images of the H&K XM8 lightweight assault rifle system.

 

[buzz_knox]

There were reports that the XM8 developed issues during testing, including melting the handguards and other portions of the weapon.

HK did some creative marketing with this weapon, by comparing the cost/weight of a base model XM8 to an M4 with the full SOPMOD package. It would have been ironic if a weapon based on the AR-18 (intended as a low cost alternative to the M-16) became a high priced alternative to the M-16.

 

[Lauge]

*BIG SIGH* . Yes, it's an H&K, which usually means OK quality, it looks cool, modern, futuristic, right out of Terminator IV.....but honestly, it's a 12,5" barreled carbine in 5,56x45mm NATO. What exactly is this gun supposed to do that the M4, M4 SOPMOD, etc. will not ?

Don't get me wrong! I'm all in favour of developments in small arms technology, but: If you really want to replace all your small arms with something radically different, I believe it should give you more than just a small incremental improvement. Remember that it's not just the gun itself you need to replace: It's also all your spare parts and probably most of your tools, and you need to retrain your users and armourers. In short, all that logistic crap without which your fancy new gun rapidly becomes a very expensive and inefficient club.

Ahem....thus endeth today's rant Now, where did I put down my AK104 ?

Regards & all

Thomas L. Nielsen
Denmark

PS: And Triton - you can say a lot of good things about pink. BUT NOT ON A GUN! I'M SERIOUS HERE. NO, NO AND FOR THE THIRD TIME NO! NOT PINK ON A GUN!

 

[Triton]

Heckler & Koch XM8 on Mailcall. Video is of poor quality.

http://youtu.be/guOuVEWcXM8

 

[RanulfC]

I love that XM8. The new FN SCAR looks like a pile of dog---- by comparison.

It is an attractive and futuristic looking weapon. Probably the reason it is featured in the Sony PlayStation 3 video game Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, the video game Fallout 3, the video game Tom Cancy's End War, the upcoming Paramount Pictures movie GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra, and numerous toys, games, and modifications. There is also a BB-firing replica of the XM8 manufactured by Airsoft.

Sorry, couldn't resist posting the following image of an Airsoft XM8 replica painted in pink.

Still looking for the ad but one of the big airsoft sellers "sales-pitch" for the XM-8AS was:
"Rifle looks like a FISH! If you like FISH you will LOVE this weapon!"

Randy

 

[Colonial-Marine]

I believe I have some photos saved of early XM8 mockups (at least I don't think they were functional) back when it was more square and used standard M16 magazines. I'll try to dig them up.

 

[vajt]

If this new design from ST Kinetics makes it, it would almost be like an XM8 revival.


http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2012/02/22/more-photos-of-st-kinetics-concept-rifles/


-----JT-----