The German Army is selecting a new service rifle... again

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The German Army is selecting a new service rifle…again

Miguel Ortiz

Posted On June 26, 2022 19:07:03

In September 2020, the German Bundeswehr selected the Haenel MK556 to replace the Heckler & Koch G36 as its standard service rifle. However, in October, the government order was withdrawn after Heckler & Koch filed an appeal. This led to an investigation by the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support.

The German Army is selecting a new service rifle…again

The MK556 order was canceled following allegations of patent infringement (Haenel)

The BAAINBw investigation discovered a possible patent infringement by Haenel in the design of the MK556 and the government order was canceled outright. In response, Haenel filed a lawsuit to overturn the decision and the contract for the new rifle was put on hold. During the court case, Heckler & Koch reportedly showed a video of Haenel components functioning interchangeably with those of Heckler & Koch’s HK416. If true, this would be concrete evidence that Haenel infringed on Heckler & Koch’s patent.

The German Army is selecting a new service rifle…again
A diagram from the Heckler & Koch patent that Haenel infringed on (European Patent Office)

On June 22, 2022, the Düsseldorf Higher Regional Court dismissed Haenel’s case. A court press release stated, “The respondent [the German Ministry of Defence] rightly excluded the applicant [Haenel] for serious professional misconduct in the form of an alleged patent infringement.” The court also noted that Heckler & Koch proved their case of patent infringement against Haenel.

The German Army is selecting a new service rifle…again
The HK416 (foreground) and HK433 (background) are Heckler & Koch’s submissions for the new Bundeswehr standard issue rifle (ConCamo)
With this court ruling, Heckler & Koch is in the clear to supply the Bundeswehr with their new service rifle. Although the contract was put on hold, Parliamentary State Secretary for Defense Peter Tauber reportedly said at a German Parliament Defense Committee meeting that bids had been re-evaluated. With the war in Ukraine stretching on and Germany allocating increased funds to defense spending, it’s likely that the acquisition of a new service rifle will be expedited in every way possible. At this point, it’s only a matter of which Heckler & Koch rifle the Bundeswehr will select: The HK416 A8 or HK433.



https://www.wearethemighty.com/articles/the-german-army-is-selecting-a-new-service-rifle-again/?fbclid=IwAR0H3tUaUXIodwTgeWj-wOh1kQXhIVQbjhndZXJj0QS3I-MPQ76G9UZq5xw
 
Rebel Rouser said:
Hmm... It's a AR-15/M-16 platform. Amazing the parts are interchangeable...
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Must be their piston system that was "borrowed". If you do some searching through patents given, there is alot of over lap. These guys got a patent on a piston-centric bolt in 2014. 14 years after the 416 was released. - https://patents.google.com/patent/US20120180648A1/en

HK's patents on the 416 should be expiring soon.
 
Grey Birch said:
Must be their piston system that was "borrowed". If you do some searching through patents given, there is alot of over lap. These guys got a patent on a piston-centric bolt in 2014. 14 years after the 416 was released. - https://patents.google.com/patent/US20120180648A1/en

HK's patents on the 416 should be expiring soon.
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Colt had patent piston rifles in the 1960's. They were tested in Vietnam. HK is just reinventing the wheel.
 
The 416A8 got selected as the new standard issue carbine for the Bundeswehr. As for the Hk433 I wouldn’t be surprised to see it go the way of the XM8. Which would be a crying shame because imo it’s the perfect carbine.
 
HK 433 was developed as a lower cost alternative to HK416. At the end HK couldn't really keep the cost of 433 any less than 416. That was the doom of 433.

People who want a cheaper alternative there is the FN SCAR and CZ - the less affluent nations like Hungry and Portugal are the main buyers of these aluminum tube guns.

The next up is probably Spain, but I suspect they will follow the budget, buy some newer variation of G36 or SCAR or who knows maybe even CZ.

Things come in a full circle, HK made a plastic AR18 into G36, FN made a aluminum tube G36 as in SCAR, HK remade AR15 into 416, SIg remade AR18 into MCX. And HK tried to make its own SCAR....... but it ends up AR still won at the end of the day.
 
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Wolverine Supplies is the importer of Hanael, but they are owned by UAE Caracal. So it is really the UAE behind the their submission to Germany.

There were suspicion and accusation by HK in the beginning they could not make a bid at that price tag using "german labour". hint hint.
 
greentips said:
Wolverine Supplies is the importer of Hanael, but they are owned by UAE Caracal. So it is really the UAE behind the their submission to Germany.

There were suspicion and accusation by HK in the beginning they could not make a bid at that price tag using "german labour". hint hint.
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I'm not following. You're saying UAE was trying to buy HK with slimy soft take over? Rich people getting richer using dirty tricks?
 
I think what greentips is getting at is that the terms of the contract would be that Hanael would have to make the rifles in Germany. But the suspiciously low price made it seem like Haenal/UAE Caracal would cut corners and make parts outside of Germany using UAE/slave labour.
 
greentips said:
Wolverine Supplies is the importer of Hanael, but they are owned by UAE Caracal. So it is really the UAE behind the their submission to Germany.

There were suspicion and accusation by HK in the beginning they could not make a bid at that price tag using "german labour". hint hint.
Click to expand...

And Dasan was making the parts for Caracal in Korea, so is it Korea->UAE->Germany?
 
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