Army
Army accepts first delivery of its new service rifle, the XM8 Carbine
Stars and Stripes
April 9, 2026
A soldier with the Army Marksmanship Unit conducts rifle drills with the XM8 Carbine at Fort Benning, Ga, February 2026. The Army on Friday, April 3, 2026, accepted its first delivery of the carbine. (U.S. Army)
The U.S. Army has accepted the first delivery of its new service rifle, the XM8 Carbine, from Sig Sauer.
The XM8 is about 3.5 inches shorter and a pound lighter than the M4A1 carbine it is replacing for soldiers in the Close Combat Force, the Army said in a news release.
The XM8 is a lightweight version of the M7, making it easier for soldiers to move in tight spaces while using the Army’s new 6.8mm ammunition.
The service only standardized the M7 as its primary rifle last year, but the XM8 is not intended to replace it. Instead, it is being developed as a companion weapon. The XM8 is about 5 inches shorter and roughly 1 pound lighter than the M7 and features a fixed buttstock.
Since awarding a 10-year Next Generation Squad Weapon contract to Sig Sauer in early 2022, soldiers have tested the M7 — formerly the XM5 — and the M250 automatic rifle, intended to replace the M4 and M249, respectively. The “X” designation indicates the weapons were in the experimental phase before standardization.
The program aimed to move away from decades-old 5.56mm and 7.62mm ammunition in favor of weapons that chamber 6.8mm, which the Army’s contract release in 2022 said would “increase accuracy and (be) more lethal against emerging threats.”
A photo of the XM8 Carbine, manufactured by Sig Sauer. (U.S. Army)