The Army’s Bold Transition: Saying Goodbye to the M4 and SAW, Welcoming the XM5 and XM250

On an ambitious overdrive to modernize its small-arms arsenal, the U.S. Army has contracted with Sig Sauer in a 10-year deal worth $20.4 million for the induction of the XM5 Rifle and the XM250 Automatic Rifle. As announced in 2023, the decision would eventually phase out the long-serving M4 rifle and M249 Squad Automatic Weapon as standard-issue firearms for the Army.

FORT BENNING, Ga. – Soldiers of the 4th Ranger Training Battalion, Airborne and Ranger Training Brigade, demonstrate the U.S. Army’s newest weapon during a Rangers in Action Ceremony September 16, 2022, at Victory Pond, Fort Benning, Georgia. The XM5 Rifle will replace the M4/M4A1 carbine within the close combat force. The new ammunition includes multiple types of tactical and training rounds that increase accuracy and are more lethal against emerging threats than both the 5.56mm and 7.62mm ammunition. (U.S. Army photo by Patrick A. Albright, Maneuver Center of Excellence and Fort Benning Public Affairs)

The new weapons, which will fire the 6.8mm ammunition, are designed to provide soldiers with increased accuracy, lethality, and protection against emerging threats. As an Army spokesperson stated, “The new ammunition includes multiple types of tactical and training rounds that increase accuracy and are more lethal against emerging threats than both the 5.56mm and 7.62mm ammunition.”

This comes after a 27-month-long evaluation period, in which other defense contractors, such as General Dynamics, were among those seriously competing to be the primary supplier for the Army of Small Arms. It was a clear decision to award the contract for these high-stake weapon systems to Sig Sauer because the company can meet the Army’s very demanding requirements.

The Vortex Optics XM157 Fire Control optic will eventually sport a home on both the XM5 and XM250. This high-tech optic will include a laser rangefinder, ballistic calculator, visible and infrared lasers, and even a compass that gives Soldiers very effective targeting capabilities.

Though the total number of weapons the Army now intends to buy during the 10-year contract is not definite, it has asked for 29,046 new weapons in its proposed budget for 2023. Approval of that request by Congress will need to come before the full transition gets underway.

This is to say, the move to replace the M4 and SAW is a huge shift in the small arms strategy taken by the Army, indicative of the changing character of modern warfare and the necessity to arm soldiers with more capable and lethal weapons. As the Army moves forward, it’s going to be critical to make the transition smooth and effective, the kind that allows soldiers to easily adjust to a new set of firearms and thus maximize their application in operations on the battlefield.