Let HK pour resources into the XM8, after it's all said and done I hope our gov't. looks at the cost of replacing the M16 and says, "Screw it, the M16 is a modular weapon, if you can't cut your XM8 POS up and make it into an upper assembly inorder to retrofit our M16s we aren't giving you a contract".
THAT is what needs to happen. Jesus, the lower assembly of an AR15/M16 is a workable foundation. We, here atleast, all know that the AR18 and AR15 actions can be married together, Olympic Arm's attempts and ZM Weapons being indications of that. Now if the gov't. would only get behind a similar such development, something could be made out of the M16 if the direct gas impingement is so damned problematic.
Christ, it's so rediculous. Who knows, in the end the gov't. might find out something like ZM Weapons and Olympic found out, and that is that the buffer tube can be done away with and a folding stock can be implemented.
Only problem I see is the SCAR-L and SCAR-H criteria that seems to be popping up, but that might be a requirement where STANAG type magazines must be maintained at which point the AR15/M16 lower receiver should still be workable. Such as with the 6.8x43mm and the 6.5 Grendel being intermediate rounds above that of 5.56x45mm but just under 7.62Nato.