After the new “armed forces combat helmet”, which by the way is not made of Kevlar, the Bundeswehr is finally getting a new assault rifle: The Federal Office for Equipment, Information Technology and Use of the Bundeswehr (BAAINBw) – which has long been jointly responsible for this, in addition to politics partly to blame for the currently poor state of equipment in the Bundeswehr – announced that the procurement of the new assault rifle is now starting.
On January 23, 2023, representatives of the management of Hecker und Koch and representatives of the BAAINBw clarified the final contractual details. The budget and defense committees of the German Bundestag had already given the green light in December 2022.
The new “System Assault Rifle” bears the designation G95A1 (caliber 5.56 mm x 45 NATO) and again comes from the German manufacturer Heckler and Koch. Heckler and Koch had already manufactured the predecessor, the G36. Thus, from 2026, the Bundeswehr will get the G95A1 as the new standard assault rifle. In turn, special forces receive the new rifle in the G95KA1 variant in a short version. Both new rifles are based on the Heckler and Koch HK416 A8.
number of magazines
However, Heckler and Koch encloses a different number of magazines with the rifle depending on the intended use. The Bundeswehr Journal writes:
For proficiency levels 1 (forces who perform general tasks in action) and 2 (forces that are used in their main task infantry) the procurement of five magazines per assault rifle is planned. According to the Secretary of State, the forces at skill level 3 (specialized forces) should receive ten magazines per assault rifle.
First of all 390 proof samples
First, Heckler and Koch deliver 390 proof samples to the German armed forces. Of these, 40 assault rifles will be handed over to the military technical department for weapons and ammunition for qualification. The remaining 350 weapons will be given to the troops for operational testing, which will take place in various climate zones, among other things. The extensive testing serves to compare the weapons submitted by the manufacturer in the award procedure.
According to the soldier and technology, the Bundeswehr should purchase up to 118,718 copies of this type. The Bundeswehr pays around 273.3 million euros for this. The Ministry of Defence, on the other hand, speaks of around 209 million euros.
The introduction of the G36 successor was preceded by a legal dispute with the company CG Haenel, which had been sparked by the award of the tender. There was criticism of the behavior of the BAAINBw at the time.
Predecessor G36
Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen criticized the G36. It allegedly developed thermal problems and therefore shot inaccurately. Bundeswehr personnel who spoke to PC-WELT and who used the G36 in Afghanistan could not confirm these problems. Ursula von der Leyen also lost out in court.
The designation assault rifle goes back to the assault rifle 44 of the German Wehrmacht. The Wehrmacht only introduced this rifle in small numbers, but the Nazi weapon is ultimately the ancestor of all assault rifles.
More news about the Bundeswehr:
Combat helmet armed forces: The new helmet of the Bundeswehr – no more Kevlar
Panther KF51: Leopard 2 successor with serious weaknesses – mockery of Munich tank designer
Does the German screen workplace regulation also apply to tanks?
Defective Puma infantry fighting vehicle: crisis meeting between the Bundeswehr and the defense industry
