ATK/HK XM8 Carbine Feedback/Update and ‘Army Times’ XM8 Article Archive.

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by David Crane
david@defensereview.com

DefRev’s recent article, "GDATP XM307/XUV OCSW Video, ATK/HK XM29/OICW, HK XM8, and Metal Storm" contains an email communication in which I discuss some of my views on the ATK/HK XM8 "Lightweight Modular Carbine System" (LMCS) .

We also recently published an update on the ATK/HK XM8 Lightweight Modular Carbine System (LMCS) titled "U.S. Army Requests Additional $26 million to Purchase 7,000 New Infantry Weapons". In that piece, we linked to a news release on the Program Executive Office Soldier (PEO Soldier) website titled "Service requests $26 million for fielding: Army Reorganizes Plan to Field New Family of Infantry Weapons".

Well, "Defense Tech" has just published a new blog on the ATK/HK XM8 LMCS, a.k.a. "Lightweight Assault Carbine". In the blog, they provide a link to a Fayetteville (NC) Observer article on the XM8. The Fayetteville (NC) Observer is reporting that the ATK/HK XM-8 "Lightweight Modular Carbine System" is receiving some positive feedback from military testers at Ft. Bragg, NC, Ft. Stewart, Ga., and Ft. Campbell, Ky. The story is titled "New firearms are light and deadly", and it…

contains a link to pics of the weapons demo that DefRev believes were taken at Ft. Bragg. "Defense Tech" also links to the Thursday, June 10, 2004 "Atlantigeeks" blog on the XM8 carbine titled New firearms are light and deadly.

The Army’s Program Executive Office Soldier at Fort Belvoir, Va. is the office running the tests. The Project Manager (PM) Soldier Weapons is Col. Michael J. Smith. Col. Smith overseas PM Crew Served Weapons and PM Individual Weapons. PM Individual Weapons is most likely the office directly in charge of the XM-8 testing and demo sessions.

It would seem that not everybody’s as enthusiastic about the ATK/HK XM8 carbine as the U.S. Army personnel who test fired it at Bragg. The "Army Times" published some not-so-positive feedback letters on the ATK/HK XM-8 LMCS on April 26th, 2004. These letters on the XM8 were written by U.S. Army personnel who are obviously nonplussed about the new weapon.

Here are some more Army Times articles on the ATK/HK XM-8 Lightweight Modular Carbine System:

"1 killer weapon: 8 things you’ll love about the XM8", by John G. Roos, editor of Armed Forces Journal International (AFJI).

Taking the first shot: A chance to test battle-rifle prototype", by Matthew Cox

XM8 prototypes surpass M16, Army experts say", by Matthew Cox

Click here to visit the XM8 page on Heckler & Koch (HK) USA’s site.

Click here to view the Shot Show 2004 XM8 Compact Carbine Photo Gallery on the Heckler & Koch (HK) USA website. It features photos taken at the ATK/HK XM-8 Compact Carbine demo in Las Vegas, NV.

Click on this link to read "Air Combat Engineer’s" review of Gary Paul Johnston’s ATK/HK XM8 article that came out in the February 2004 issue of "Soldier of Fortune" (SOF) Magazine.

ATK/HK XM8 Carbine Feedback/Update and ‘Army Times’ XM8 Article Archive. by

About David Crane

David Crane started publishing online in 2001. Since that time, governments, military organizations, Special Operators (i.e. professional trigger pullers), agencies, and civilian tactical shooters the world over have come to depend on Defense Review as the authoritative source of news and information on "the latest and greatest" in the field of military defense and tactical technology and hardware, including tactical firearms, ammunition, equipment, gear, and training.

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