The US Marine Corps has awarded Heckler & Koch Defense a $45.4 million contract modification for the procurement of additional M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle (IAR) systems, reinforcing its continued investment in the weapon platform.
The latest modification increases the contract ceiling from $39.23 million to $84.63 million, with funding to be allocated through individual task orders as they are issued.
Initially awarded in 2018, the contract covered the acquisition of up to 15,000 M27 rifles, along with associated spare parts, under an initial ceiling of $29.42 million. Manufacturing and related activities will primarily take place in Oberndorf, Germany, with additional work being conducted in Columbus, Georgia. The contract is expected to be completed by April 27, 2028.
US Marine Corps Continues Investment in M27
The expanded contract highlights the US Marine Corps’ continued commitment to the M27 platform, even as the US Army advances towards a new generation of small arms under its Next Generation Squad Weapon (NGSW) programme. The Army has selected the M7 rifle and the shorter M8 rifle, both chambered in 6.8×51mm, as part of its modernisation initiative.
In February 2026, a US Marine Corps spokesperson confirmed that the service would continue operating the M27 within its close combat formations. The decision reflects the Marine Corps’ operational requirements and long-term infantry modernisation priorities, indicating that the service intends to retain the existing rifle platform rather than transition to the Army’s newly selected weapons.
M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle
The M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle is a gas-operated, short-stroke piston weapon derived from Heckler & Koch’s HK416 rifle platform. Chambered in 5.56×45mm NATO, the weapon uses 30-round magazines that are compatible with those employed by the M4 carbine and other US military small arms.
The Marine Corps originally introduced the lightweight, air-cooled M27 to supplement and potentially replace the heavier, belt-fed M249 Squad Automatic Weapon as the primary automatic weapon within infantry squads. Initial fielding began in 2010 and was completed in 2013.
Although the Marine Corps retained the M249 for selected operational roles, it progressively expanded the M27’s deployment across infantry, reconnaissance, and light armored reconnaissance units. The latest procurement modification further demonstrates the service’s continued reliance on the M27 as a core component of its infantry small-arms inventory.
