The Army will start fielding the SIG-made XM8 rifle to troops in December as its next-generation squad weapon. The lighter compact design is now the service’s selected rifle, as shown in the fiscal 2027 budget request and Military Times reporting this week.

SIG Sauer won the 2022 competition for 6.8x51mm arms under a 10-year deal, with the M7 replacing the M4 and the M250 replacing the M249. Company officials describe the XM8 as superior because it reflects feedback rather than the original contract limits that bound the M7.

The acting Army secretary presented a soldier carrying an XM8 at the 2026 AUSA meeting opening in Washington.