XM9

concept art of the XM9.

The XM9 Rifle is a weapon featured in the EndWar novel. In the novel it is the US Army's replacement for the abandoned XM8 rifle. Like the XM8, it is a modular weapon with four variants: a baseline carbine, a compact carbine, a sharpshooter, and a heavy-barrelled automatic. It fires the standard 5.56x45mm NATO round used by the M16. There is also an optional XM322 grenade launcher that can be attached to the main weapon.

This contradicts the existence of the 6.8mm SCAR A1 as the new US Joint Strike Force service rifle. The XM9 was abandoned by the game's developers, who felt the XM8 had been "overused" in becoming the staple next-gen American rifle in fiction. However the XM9 does make a minor appearance in the JSF's victory cutscene.

In the EndWar novel, Master Sgt. McAllen uses an XM9 with an XM322 underbarrel grenade launcher.

Trivia

• The real life XM8 was turned down by the US Army for its high cost, alleged bare minimum improvement over the M4A1 and the ineffectiveness of variants when compared with purpose-designed weapons in the same class. Although the real XM8 outperformed every other participant in various test, the program was halted due to cost and the rifle "looking too German". The DoD instead purchased more M4‘s.

Gallery

A pre-release screenshot of Ghosts deploying with XM9s.

A Ghost wielding an XM9 in the JSF's victory cutscene.

JSF concept art showing the XM9