Heckler & Koch XM8

The Heckler & Koch XM8 is a modular assault rifle system designed by Heckler & Koch. Originally conceived as the assault rifle portion of the XM29 OICW, the XM8 was designed in 2002 as a possible replacement for the M4 carbine and M16 rifle series and is heavily based on Heckler & Koch's G36 rifle series. The XM8 is designed to be highly modular, with the ability to quickly swap parts or add attachments as the situation called for it. Prototypes were presented to the United States Army for testing in 2002. Complaints were immediately leveled at the weapon's high weight, handguard that melted under sustained fire, and low battery life of the integrated optical sight. Despite later improvements to the design, talks to procure the rifle were cancelled in 2005 for a number of reasons. The rifle still fell short of military technical requirements, and was hampered by legislation that favored American arms manufacturers and funding restrictions. Furthermore, the XM8 originally did not include Picatinny rails and is not compatible with the STANAG magazines used by the majority of US military small arms. The XM8 instead uses a proprietary attachment system known as PCAP (Picatinny Combat Attachment Points), which take the form of oval-shaped holes in the handguard.
Despite the XM8 falling out of favor with the United States, Malaysia demonstrated interest in the design and purchased a number of rifles in 2010. The XM8 is currently only in use with Malaysia's Pasukan Khas Laut (Naval Special Warfare Forces) or PASKAL. The XM8 currently in use with PASKAL is the "Spiral 3" XM8, which features a top Picatinny rail.
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= Heckler & Koch XM8 Carbine =
Basic carbine variant with a 12.5 inch barrel.
thumb|right|400px|Heckler & Koch XM8 with Insight ISM-V sight - 5.56x45mm. Note "birdcage" flash hider replacing the old "duckbill," and four PCAP accessory mounting holes added to the handguard.
==Specifications==
(2003-2004) (prototypes only)
* Type: Assault Rifle
* Caliber: 5.56x45mm NATO
* Weight: 
* Length: 
* Barrel length: 
* Feed System: 30-round box mag, 100-round C-Mag drum mag
* Fire Modes: Semi-Auto/Full-Auto
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=== Film ===
Title 	Actor 	Character 	Notation 	Date
XXX: State of the Union	Ice Cube 	Darius Stone 	Dressed up G36C	2005
XXX: State of the Union	John G. Connolly 	Alabama Cobb 	Dressed up G36C	2005
XXX: State of the Union	Samuel L. Jackson	Augustus Gibbons 	Dressed up G36C	2005
XXX: State of the Union	 	Deckard's operatives	Dressed up G36C	2005
Children of Men 	 	British soldiers 	Airsoft replica	2006
District 13: Ultimatum 	 	French soldiers 	Airsoft replica	2009
=== Television ===
Title 	Actor 	Character	Notation	Date
Mail Call	R. Lee Ermey	Himself 	 	2006
=== Video Games ===
Game Title 	Appears as 	Mods 	Notation 	Release Date
Söldner: Secret Wars 	 	 	 	2004
Conflict: Global Terror 	XM8 Assault Rifle / M8 Assault Rifle	w/ Heckler & Koch XM320 	 	2005
Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory 	 	not usable 	 	2005
Rainbow Six: Vegas 	M8 	w/ various attachments 	Malaysian version 	2006
Splinter Cell: Double Agent 	 	 	not usable 	2006
Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 	M8 	w/ optional Heckler & Koch XM320 	 	2006
Alliance of Valiant Arms 	 	 	 	2007
Crysis 	SCAR 	w/ various attachments 	 	2007
Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 	M8 	w/ optional Heckler & Koch XM320 	PC only 	2007
Soldier of Fortune: Payback 	 	w/ various attachments 	usable in PS3 and X360 versions 	2007
Cross Fire 	"XM8" 	 	 	2007
Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 	 	 	seen in intro cinematic 	2008
Combat Arms 	XM8 	 	EU version only 	2008
Rainbow Six: Vegas 2 	M8 	w/ various attachments 	Malaysian version 	2008
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots	XM8 	w/ Heckler & Koch XM320 	 	2008
Counter-Strike Online 	 	 	 	2008
Saints Row 2 	AR-50 XMAC 	 	 	2008
Battlefield: Bad Company 	XM8 	w/ Heckler & Koch XM320 	 	2008
Mercenaries 2: World in Flames 	Combat Rifle 	 	w/ 40-round capacity 	2008
ArmA II 	 	 	 	2009
The House of the Dead: Overkill 	Assault Rifle 	 	 	2009
Alpha Protocol 	 	 	not usable 	2010
Battlefield: Bad Company 2 	XM8 	w/ Heckler & Koch XM320 	 	2010
Shadow Harvest: Phantom Ops 	XM8 	 	early version 	2011
Battlefield Play4Free 	 	 	With optics replaced with iron sights or optional EOTech or Sightmark Sure Shot red dot sight	2011
Crysis 2 	SCAR 	w/ various attachments 	w/ Remington ACR elements 	2011
Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 	M8A1 	w/ rail system and various attachments	 	2012
Warface 	 	w/ various attachments 	 	2013
Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2 	 	 	used by guards 	2013
State of Decay 	"XM8" 	with Insight ISM-V sight 	added in Lifeline DLC (2014) 	2013
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Misery 	 	 	 	2018
Battlefield 2042 	 	 	 	2021
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. GAMMA 	 	 	 	2022
===Anime===
Title 	Character 	Mods	Notation	Release Date
Rideback	GGP forces	 	 	2006
= Heckler & Koch XM8 Compact Carbine =
thumb|right|400px|Heckler & Koch XM8 Compact Carbine - 5.56x45mm
Compact assault rifle variant with a 9 inch barrel and collapsible stock, intended for use as a personal defense weapon.
==Specifications==
(2003-2004) (prototypes only)
* Type: Compact Assault Rifle
* Caliber: 5.56x45mm NATO
* Barrel length: 
* Feed System: 30-round box mag, 100-round C-Mag drum mag
* Fire Modes: Semi-Auto/Full-Auto
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=== Television ===
Title 	Actor 	Character	Notes 	Date
Mail Call	R. Lee Ermey	Himself 	w/ collapsing stock	2006
=== Video Games ===
Game Title 	Appears as 	Mods 	Notation 	Release Date
Conflict: Global Terror 	XM8 Submachine Gun / M8 Submachine Gun	w/ suppressor 	 	2005
Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 	M8 Compact 	w/ optional suppressor 	has incorrect 3-round burst mode	2006
Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 	M8 Compact 	 	PC only 	2007
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots	 	 	not usable 	2008
ArmA II 	 	 	 	2009
Clive Barker's Jericho 	X-86 	w/ fictional hi-tech scope 	fires 5.7x28mm rounds 	2009
Battlefield: Bad Company 	XM8C 	w/ suppressor 	 	2009
Battlefield: Bad Company 2 	XM8 Compact 	w/ suppressor 	 	2010
Battlefield Play4Free 	XM8C 	With optional EOTech or Sightmark Sure Shot red dot sight	classified as an SMG 	2011
Warface 	 	 	classified as an SMG 	2013
Battlefield 2042 	 	 	 	2021
===Anime===
Title 	Character 	Mods	Notation	Release Date
Rebuild of Evangelion	WILLE soldiers	 	 	2012
= Heckler & Koch XM8 Sharpshooter Rifle =
thumb|right|400px|Early concept art of the Heckler & Koch XM8 Sharpshooter Rifle - 5.56x45mm. Note lack of PCAP accessory mounting holes and shorter handguard than the final version below.
Designated marksman rifle variant with a 20 inch barrel and the ability to use a folding bipod and 4x optic.
==Specifications==
(2003-2004) (prototypes only)
* Type: Designated Marksman Rifle
* Caliber: 5.56x45mm NATO
* Barrel length: 
* Feed System: 30-round box mag, 100-round C-Mag drum mag
* Fire Modes: Semi-Auto/Full-Auto
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=== Video Games ===
Game Title 	Appears as 	Mods	Notation 	Release Date
Conflict: Global Terror 	XM8 Sniper Rifle / M8 Sniper Rifle	 	Magazine holds 10 rounds	2005
Blacksite: Area 51 	 	 	5-round capacity 	2007
Counter-Strike Online 	 	 	 	2008
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots	 	 	not usable 	2008
ArmA II 	 	 	 	2009
Jonathan Kane The Protector 	 	 	 	2009
Warface 	AC7 SNR 	 	 	2013
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= Heckler & Koch XM8 Automatic Rifle =
Squad automatic weapon variant with a 20 inch heavy barrel and integrated bipod, intended to be used with a 100-round Beta C-Mag.
==Specifications==
(2003-2004) (prototypes only)
* Type: Light Machine Gun
* Caliber: 5.56x45mm NATO
* Barrel length: 
* Feed System: 30-round box mag, 100-round C-Mag drum mag
* Fire Modes: Semi-Auto/Full-Auto
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=== Video Games ===
Game Title 	Appears as 	Mods 	Notation 	Release Date
Conflict: Global Terror 	XM8 Squad Automatic Weapon / M8 Squad Automatic Weapon	 	 	2005
Battlefield: Bad Company 	 	With iron sights 	 	2008
ArmA II 	 	 	Only available via mission editor	2009
Battlefield: Bad Company 2	 	With iron sights, with & without ACOG scope and red dot sight 	 	2010
Battlefield Play4Free 	 	With bipod removed, optic replaced with iron sights or optional EOTech or Sightmark Sure Shot red dot sight	 	2011
Warface 	 	 	 	2013
=See Also=
* Alliant Techsystems - A list of all firearms manufactured by Alliant Techsystems.
Category:Gun
Category:Rifle
Category:Assault Rifle
Category:Machine Gun
Category:Carbine
Category:Sniper Rifle