Denmark to modernize its infantry arsenal with 26,000 Canadian-made C8 MRR 5.56 mm carbines.

On August 21, 2025, Denmark formally signed a contract with Colt Canada for the delivery of 26,000 GV M/25 rifles, a new version of the C8 Modular Rail Rifle (MRR), to be distributed across the Danish Armed Forces and the Home Guard. The signing took place during the 2025 edition of DALO Industry Days, with representatives including Colonel Thomas Øgendahl Knudsen, head of FMI’s Land Division, Colt Canada CEO Sean Congdon, and Canada’s ambassador to Denmark, Carolyn Bennett.
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The adoption of the M/25 continues Denmark’s thirty-year reliance on Canadian rifles, as the C7 and C8 were first introduced into Danish service in the mid-1990s, replacing the German G3 rifle. (Picture source: Danish MoD)

The Ministry of Defence’s Materiel and Procurement Agency (Forsvarsministeriets Materiel- og Indkøbsstyrelse, FMI/DALO) confirmed that deliveries of the rifles will be finalized by the end of 2026, with an option available for future acquisitions if needed. According to statements made during the event, the first rifles will begin to arrive in Denmark within 2025, establishing an early transition phase for the armed forces. The contract was announced as an IDIQ-type agreement, which allows incremental orders over time, ensuring flexibility in acquisition and integration.

Although Denmark officially categorizes the Gevær M/25 as a rifle because it serves as the standard-issue infantry firearm rather than a specialist carbine for rear-echelon or vehicle crews, Colt Canada refers to the C8 MRR as part of its carbine family, as, technically, the C8 family from which the MRR derives is a carbine-length variant of the C7 rifle. The rifles ordered will be supplied in two color configurations, with 13,000 produced in black and 13,000 in flat dark earth or brown, meeting operational requirements across different environments. The weapon will be designated Gevær M/25 in Danish service, following the naming convention established with earlier Canadian-made rifles. The rifles will gradually augment and later replace the Gevær M/10, the Danish designation for the Colt Canada C8 IUR that has been in service since 2010. During the ceremony, photographs revealed a rifle equipped with a 15.7-inch barrel, a seven-slot M-LOK handguard, and an ELCAN Specter DR 1-4x optic mounted on a continuous Picatinny rail extending to the muzzle. While the Ministry did not confirm barrel length in its announcement, the photographs suggested the medium-length 15.7-inch option, which balances precision, weight, and modularity. This choice also reflects NATO-standard optical and accessory integration visible in the configuration displayed at the signing.

The Modular Rail Rifle (MRR) is the most recent development of the C8 family, which itself is derived from the U.S. M16 series. It integrates a monolithic upper receiver with Magpul’s M-LOK modular system, allowing soldiers to mount mission-specific accessories while reducing unnecessary weight, particularly in the forestock area. Colt Canada specifies that the MRR uses cold hammer-forged, chrome-lined barrels that extend service life and improve consistency. It offers several barrel lengths—8.5, 11.6, 14.5, 15.7, and 18.6 inches—paired with different upper receiver lengths, with the Danish version aligning with the medium configuration. The rifle is available in multiple calibers, including 5.56×45 mm NATO, 7.62×51 mm NATO, and .300 Blackout, although Denmark has selected the NATO-standard 5.56 mm caliber for interoperability with European allies and shared logistics systems. This maintains ammunition compatibility across NATO operations and joint training, a longstanding priority in Danish procurement policy.

The adoption of the M/25 continues Denmark’s thirty-year reliance on Canadian rifles. The C7 and C8 were first introduced into Danish service in the mid-1990s, replacing the German G3 rifle. The C7 was adopted as the M/95 and the C8 as the M/96, and in 2004, the LSW variant was added as the M/04. The Gevær M/10 followed in 2010, based on the C8 IUR with ambidextrous controls, a 401 mm free-floating barrel, an integrated upper receiver, and ELCAN Specter DR optics. These rifles have undergone upgrades over time, including furniture changes, rail modifications, and replacement of built-in iron sights with Magpul MBUS backup sights. The M/25 contract ensures continuity within the existing Danish small arms system while integrating an updated architecture that supports modular attachments and enhanced longevity. This procurement secures a pathway for the Danish Army and Home Guard to standardize across a single updated platform in line with NATO-standard systems.

The rifle contract comes alongside other ongoing Danish small arms modernization efforts. Earlier in August 2025, FMI confirmed a fast-tracked procurement of additional U.S.-produced M60E6 light machine guns, with delivery expected before the end of 2025. These will reinforce existing stocks in the Army and Home Guard, supported by the acquisition of blank firing kits to increase training availability and new VooDoo-S thermal sights for use on the machine guns. The thermal sights, already delivered, are intended to improve low-visibility performance and complement the rifles and machine guns in modern battlefield conditions. By combining the arrival of the M/25 rifles with new machine guns, training sets, and optics, Denmark is expanding both its combat and training capabilities. These efforts are supported by resources from the Accelerationsfonden, which enables rapid procurement in response to capability requirements. The result is a broader renewal of Denmark’s infantry small arms inventory within a compressed timeframe.

Colt Canada, formerly Diemaco until its rebranding in 2005, has produced over 250,000 rifles since the early 1980s and continues to serve as a primary supplier of NATO-standard rifles to Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Norway. The new Danish contract reinforces its long-term role as a key supplier for European forces. The IDIQ-type structure provides Denmark with flexibility to expand procurement if operational or training requirements increase, while Colonel Øgendahl Knudsen has indicated that part of the production will eventually take place in Denmark, linking industrial cooperation to the program. With initial deliveries set to begin in 2025 and final completion expected in 2026, the M/25 rifles will ensure that Danish forces transition smoothly without operational gaps. This procurement, therefore, ties industrial continuity with updated design and NATO-standard features, ensuring both immediate capability renewal and long-term sustainment options for Danish forces.

The Colt Canada C8 is a carbine variant of the C7 family and was introduced in the 1980s as a compact alternative to the full-length rifle, comparable to the US-made M4. Mechanically, it is similar to the U.S. Colt Model 723 M16A2 carbine, operating on a gas-operated, rotating bolt system derived from the Stoner design. The standard C8, adapted from the AR-15/M16 lineage, is fitted with a 368 mm (14.5 in) barrel and features a four-position telescoping stock, making it suitable for troops requiring a shorter weapon such as vehicle crews, airborne units, and special operations forces. It weighs approximately 2.5–2.7 kg unloaded and has a cyclic rate of fire between 700 and 950 rounds per minute. The design emphasizes modularity, with later versions incorporating flat-top upper receivers, rail systems, and ambidextrous controls, enabling attachment of optics, foregrips, lights, and other accessories. Its effective firing range is around 360–400 meters, depending on the optic configuration, with maximum sighting range extending up to 600 meters when equipped with magnified optics.

The C8 is chambered in the NATO-standard 5.56×45 mm cartridge, ensuring compatibility across allied forces and simplifying logistics for countries operating within NATO frameworks. The weapon was optimized to stabilize both standard SS109/M855 projectiles and Canadian C77 ammunition through a 1:178 mm (1:7 in) rifling twist. Developed to replace the heavier 7.62×51 mm NATO round in general service rifles, the 5.56x45 mm caliber was designed to provide soldiers with a lighter, more controllable caliber that allowed for higher magazine capacity and reduced recoil, while maintaining effectiveness within typical infantry combat ranges The C8’s compatibility with STANAG 30-round magazines allows it to share ammunition with other NATO rifles, further reinforcing interoperability. Standard loadings include the SS109/M855 projectile with a steel penetrator core, designed to improve performance against helmets and light barriers, and tracer variants like the L110 used for fire correction. Its widespread adoption ensures interoperability across NATO, making it the most commonly used rifle caliber in Western armies today.