Heckler & Koch HK XM29 OICW Prototype Combined Weapons System (1995)
The Heckler and Koch XM29 Objective Individual Combat Weapon system was formally cancelled in October of 2004.
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.
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. Text ©2003-2013 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • No Reproduction Permitted
MilitaryFactory.com does NOT sell equipment/weaponry. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance or general operation. Please consult manufacturers for such information. Our disclaimer. Email corrections / Comments to MilitaryFactory at Gmail dot com.
Specifications for the
Heckler & Koch HK XM29 OICW
Prototype Combined Weapons System
Country of Origin: United States
Manufacturer: Alliant Techsystems / Heckler & Koch GmbH - Germany
Initial Year of Service: 1995
Overall Length: 890mm (35.04in)
Barrel Length: 250.00mm (9.84in)
Weight (Empty): 14.99lbs (6.80kg)
Cartridge: 5.56x45mm / 20x85mm
Action: Semi-Automatic; Gas-Operated; Rotating Bolt
Feed: 20- or 30-Round Detachable Box Magazine / 5-Round Detachable Grenade Box
Rate-of-Fire: 800 rounds per minute
Range: 3,280ft (1,000m; 1,093yds)
Sights: Integrated Optics; Available Optics; Iron Front and Rear
Variants:
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.
Operators: United States
BY YEAR:
• 1700 to 1799
• 1800 to 1899
• 1900 to 1909
• 1910 to 1919
• 1920 to 1929
• 1930 to 1939
• 1940 to 1949
• 1950 to 1959
• 1960 to 1969
• 1970 to 1979
• 1980 to 1989
• 1990 to 1999
• 2000 to 2009
• 2010 to 2019
• VIEW ALL
• Compare Guns
BY TYPE:
• Anti-Aircraft Weapons
• Anti-Material Rifles
• Anti-Tank Weapons
• Automatic Rifles
• Bolt-Action Rifles
• Carbine Guns
• Flamethrowers
• Flintlock Guns
• Grenade Launchers
• Hand Grenades
• Lever-Action Rifles
• Machine Guns
• Mortars
• Musket Guns
• Pistols / Handguns
• Recoilless Rifles
• Revolvers
• Rocket Launchers
• Shotguns
• Silenced Guns
• Sniper Rifles
• Special Weapon Systems
• Submachine Guns
• VIEW ALL
SPECIAL:
• 18th Century Warfare
• 3 Soldiers Statue
• Battle of Mogadishu
• Chainmail Armor
• Firearm Types Defined
• French Military Victories
• Medieval Crossbow
• Medieval Longbow
• Vietnam War Casualties
• Vietnam War Memorial
WORLD WAR 2:
• British Guns
• French Guns
• German Guns (ALL)
• German Rifles
• Italian Guns
• Japanese Guns
• Soviet Guns
• US Guns
• US Infantry Regiment-Level Guns
• Machine Guns
• Pistols
• Rifles
• Submachine Guns
• Sniper Rifles
• VIEW ALL
WORLD WAR 1:
• Pistols
• Rifles
• Machine Guns
• Mortars
• US Guns
• VIEW ALL
KOREAN WAR:
• Machine Guns
• VIEW ALL
VIETNAM WAR:
COLLECTIONS:
• Ancient Weapons
• British SAS Weapons
• Civil War Guns
• Colt Guns
• Glock Guns
• GROM Polish Special Forces
• Guns of Libya
• Guns of North Korea
• Guns of Syria
• Guns of WW1 & WW2
• Heckler & Koch Guns
• Kalashnikov Guns
• Modern Russian Guns
• Navy SEAL Weapons
• Spetsnaz Weapons
• Weapons of Desert Storm
• Wild West Guns
• Winchester Guns
HOLLYWOOD/GAMES:
©2013 www.MilitaryFactory.com • Content ©2003-2013 MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • Site Contact Email: militaryfactory at gmail dot com. The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® trademarks and protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws.
Top MF Stuff: 2013 Military Pay Scale | Military Ranks | WW2 Weapons | Sniper Rifles | Kts to Mph | WW1 Aircraft | Automatic Rifles | Aircraft Cockpits | Vietnam War Weapons | Main Battle Tanks | Submachine Guns | Shotguns | French Military Victories
Most photographic images appearing on this site are courtesy of the United States Department of Defense and are approved for public use. Other images acquired through the public domain. Digital art work courtesy of Dan Alex. Business Consulting by Kyle Williams. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance or general operation. Please consult manufacturers for such information.
