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Article: Army tests new rifle that could replace M16, M4.(Ground Combat)(XM8 Lightweight Modular Weapon System)
- Article from:
- National Defense
- Article date:
- February 1, 2004
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2004 National Defense Industrial Association. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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The U.S. Army is testing a new, lightweight assault rifle that employs many of the technologies already developed for the planned objective individual combat weapon, which would combine an infantry rifle with a grenade launcher. The service decided to go ahead with this latest rifle--known as the XM8 Lightweight Modular Weapon System--after repeated delays in the OICW program.
If the tests are successful, the XM8 eventually could replace the Vietnam-era M16 rifle and M4 carbine as the standard weapon for infantry soldiers, according to Army Lt. Col. Mathew T. Clarke. First, however, it has to pass strenuous testing by the Army.
So far, Clarke said, he is ...