The US Army is replacing all its weapons with Sig Sauer’s new firearms.
The XM5 assault weapon will succeed the M4, which entered service in 1994 and is a shorter, lighter form of the M16A2 assault rifle. The XM250 automatic rifle will replace the M249 light machine gun, in service since 1984. Sig Sauer currently supplies most close combat units with small weapons. The M17/M18 will use the same 9x19mm Parabellum cartridge as the M9, while the XM5 rifle and XM250 light machine gun will utilize a 6.8mm cartridge. The Virginia-based guns manufacturer was founded as a subsidiary of Germany’s Sig Sauer GmbH. Additionally, the business created the SIG SLX suppressor for next-generation squad guns.
