×
Aircraft / Aviation Vehicles & Artillery Small Arms Warships & Submarines Military Ranks Military Pay Scale (2024) Special Forces

Heckler & Koch HK XM29 OICW


Prototype Combination Assault Rifle / Weapons System


United States | 1995



"The Heckler and Koch XM29 Objective Individual Combat Weapon system was formally cancelled in October of 2004."

Performance
Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for the Heckler & Koch HK XM29 OICW. Information presented is strictly for general reference and should not be misconstrued as useful for hardware restoration or operation.
3,280 ft
999.7 m | 1,093.3 yds
Max.Eff.Range
800
Rounds-Per-Minute
Rate-of-Fire
Physical
The physical qualities of the Heckler & Koch HK XM29 OICW. Information presented is strictly for general reference and should not be misconstrued as useful for hardware restoration or operation.
890 mm
35.04 in
O/A Length
250 mm
9.84 in
Barrel Length
14.99 lb
6.80 kg
Weight
Semi-Automatic; Gas-Operated; Rotating Bolt
Action
5.56x45mm / 20x85mm
Caliber(s)
20- or 30-Round Detachable Box Magazine / 5-Round Detachable Grenade Box
Feed
Integrated Optics; Available Optics; Iron Front and Rear
Sights
Variants
Notable series variants as part of the Heckler & Koch HK XM29 OICW Prototype Combination Assault Rifle / Weapons System family line.
XM29 - Base Developmental Designation; various arrangements trialed; based on the HK36 assault rifle.
XM8 - Assault Rifle system evolution based on the XM29.
XM25 - Grenade Launcher evolution; based on the XM29.
Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 05/12/2021 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site; No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

In the 1990s, the US Army undertook formal evaluations of several competing automatic rifles to replace the long-running M16 series through the Objective Individual Combat Weapon (OICW) program. OICW followed the Advanced Combat Rifle (ACR) program that sought the same goal, though failed just as equally, leaving the M16 to evolve and increase its staying power within the inventory of the US military and allies. Impressive as the OICW design appeared, US authorities decided against developing the existing prototypes and the program fell to naught on October 31st, 2004 with its formal cancellation.

One of the high profile prototypes of the OICW program became the Heckler & Koch XM29, developed by Arlington, Virginia-based Alliant Techsystems, Incorporated (though marketed under the more influential HK label at the time). The XM29 featured several variations of a basic design though the primary model consisted of a 5.56mm automatic carbine system mated to a semi-automatic 20mm six-round advanced grenade launcher. The grenade launcher portion sat over the assault rifle with the rifle nestled underneath. The carbine was itself based on the Heckler & Koch HK G36 which began appearing in number with German military forces in 1997, giving the weapon a gas operation with rotating bolt action. The weapon was chambered for the ubiquitous 5.56x45mm NATO standard cartridge, the same as used in the M16 family. The grenade launching portion of the weapon was chambered for the unique 20x85mm "smart" grenade capable of "airbursting" at variable intervals according to operator need in-the-field. Thusly, the operator could engage enemy elements who lay under cover, behind walls or near windows by setting proper grenade values before firing. For basic combat, the 5.56mm assault carbine came into play making the operator a complete warfighter in the scope of modern warfare. The standard assault carbine element fired from a standard 30-round curved magazine though 20-round counts were also supported throughout development. The 20mm grenade launcher fed by way of a 5-round straight detachable box magazine.

Content ©MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.


The system as a whole was designed to come apart as two separate elements if need be, allowing American logistics to remain unchanged in servicing the 5.56mm rifle portion. The assault carbine functioned independently of the grenade launcher as normal though the grenade launcher portion required the carbine rifle portion in order to operate. Overall, the XM29 featured a very futuristic appearance for the time with long clean lines though with bulky form. Since the grenade launcher fed through a bull-pup style arrangement, the shoulder stock was integral to the design and rigid, creating a long and deep weapon body. Detachable optics were arranged along the top of the grenade launching portion when the unit was complete while individual optics could be assigned to the assault carbine as needed when the rifle was detached. The grenade launcher-mounted sight featured a computer-assisted sighting device with built-in laser rangefinder and thermal vision. There also proved a basic 6x power magnification for basic daylight operations and engagement. The XM29 allowed the warfighter a high level of tactical flexibility second to none.

However, the XM29 never impressed the right authorities and the ballooning program was cancelled for good in October of 2004. The combined weapon system was deemed too large and cumbersome to handle for the fast-moving infantryman of US Army doctrine. The 20mm grenade launcher was technologically advanced for the period, which proved expensive, and its ammunition was too select to warrant large-scale procurement. For all intents and purposes, the XM29 was never really a viable candidate for the replacement of the venerable M16 family and the OICW as a whole went on to fail just as the ACR before it. The OICW program was later divided into a three-phase development process intended to bring about the individual battlefield components separately through a three-phase program (OICW Increment One, Two and Three. This gave rise to the now-cancelled Heckler & Koch XM8 assault rifle prototype and the 25mm Heckler & Koch XM25 grenade launcher. Unlike the XM8, which was shelved in October 2005, the XM25 has gone on to see frontline operational service in Afghanistan with US forces since 2010 in a developmental status.

Content ©MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
Operators
Global customers who have evaluated and/or operated the Heckler & Koch HK XM29 OICW. Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national small arms listing.

Contractor(s): Alliant Techsystems - USA / Heckler & Koch GmbH - Germany
National flag of the United States

[ United States (cancelled) ]
1 / 3
Image of the Heckler & Koch HK XM29 OICW
Image from the United States Department of Defense imagery database.
2 / 3
Image of the Heckler & Koch HK XM29 OICW
Image from the United States Department of Defense imagery database.
3 / 3
Image of the Heckler & Koch HK XM29 OICW
Image from the United States Department of Defense imagery database.

Going Further...
The Heckler & Koch HK XM29 OICW Prototype Combination Assault Rifle / Weapons System appears in the following collections:
HOME
SMALL ARMS INDEX
SPECIAL FORCES
ARMS BY COUNTRY
ARMS MANUFACTURERS
COMPARE ARMS
ARMS BY CONFLICT
ARMS BY TYPE
ARMS BY DECADE
MODERN SMALL ARMS
Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Cookies

2024 Military Pay Scale Military Ranks of the World U.S. Department of Defense Dictionary Conversion Calculators Military Alphabet Code Military Map Symbols Breakdown U.S. 5-Star Generals List WWII Weapons by Country World War Next

The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com. No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

Part of a network of sites that includes GlobalFirepower, a data-driven property used in ranking the top military powers of the world, WDMMA.org (World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft), WDMMW.org (World Directory of Modern Military Warships), SR71blackbird.org, detailing the history of the world's most iconic spyplane, and MilitaryRibbons.info, cataloguing military medals and ribbons. Special Interest: RailRoad Junction, the locomotive encyclopedia.


©2024 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • Content ©2003-2024 (21yrs)