The XM8 carbine has a shorter barrel and suppressor than the M7, and is also about a pound lighter than the rifle.

The M7 was never meant to be just a new rifle. It was designed as a tightly linked system in which the weapon, cartridge, ...

Designed in 2002, the Heckler & Koch XM8 was a lightweight assault rifle that aimed to replace the original M4 carbine in U.S ...

The XM8 is not intended to replace the service’s primary rifle, the M7, but instead is being developed as a companion weapon.

Why would one U.S. service pass on a brand-new rifle while another builds its future infantry doctrine around it? The answer ...