Type Heavy machine gun Designed 2000 Produced 2004 | Place of origin United States Manufacturer General Dynamics | |
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Designer General Dynamics/Joint Services Small Arms Program | ||
The XM312 is a heavy machine gun derived from the XM307 25 mm autocannon and chambered for the .50 BMG cartridge. It was designed in response to a request by the U.S. military for a replacement for the aging M2HB heavy machine gun, and as a complement to the heavier XM307 Advanced Crew Served Weapon.
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It is capable of being converted quickly into an XM307 with a small number of parts and a few minutes of work at the unit level (and vice versa from the XM307). Procurement of the XM312 will allow easier use of the XM307, as only the related kits would have to be adopted.
On May 20, 2008, Jane's Information Group reported that the U.S. Army had awarded General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products (GDATP) a 9 million dollar contract to develop a lightweight .50-caliber machine gun called the XM806 to supplement the Browning M2, but was cancelled in 2012. The Army at present will continue buying new M2s and Mk 19s to replenish the current guns that are wearing out.