benEzra
Moderator Emeritus
http://www.janes.com/defence/land_forces/news/jiw/jiw031212_1_n.shtml
The War on Terror has engendered many changes, and details of some new US developments have emerged over the past year. First, it now appears that the XM29 OICW will probably be abandoned in favour of two stand-alone weapons. The first is the Heckler & Koch XM8 assault rifle, which is under consideration as a replacement for the M16 and M4 family of rifles and carbines. This rifle will be evaluated during 2004, and if tests are successful, it may enter US service as early as 2005.
Alliant Technologies is now showing a semi-automatic grenade launcher chambered for the 25 mm Objective Crew-Served Weapon (OCSW) cartridge. Although US Army spokespersons state that the XM29 programme has not been abandoned, the absence of the XM29 and the presence of two new and separate systems at recent trade shows indicate otherwise. If the XM8 were to be adopted by the US Army without competition from alternative designs, it would be an unprecedented event in US small-arms history.