The German government has denied a media report claiming that there are still issues with the procurement of the new Heckler & Koch rifle for the Bundeswehr. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Defence stated that the report was inaccurate, saying, “We are essentially where we wanted to be in terms of time.”
The ministry added that the testing process for the new standard rifle was comprehensive and the final design had been agreed upon with the manufacturer. While the weapon itself is set, there is still a need for further investigation into the accessories, particularly the optics, which is expected to take a few more weeks. Once the entire system is finalized, the delivery to the troops will begin, with the ministry expecting the process to start this year.
The ministry also rejected a report by the magazine “Business Insider” that the contract needed to be renegotiated, calling the claim “not accurate.” The spokesperson explained that it is normal for the design to be finalized and for the contract to be adjusted accordingly. This is a standard procedure for a large product like a rifle.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Defence does not see any bottlenecks in the meantime, as the current stock of rifles is deemed “absolutely sufficient.” The spokesperson added that the military has a complete mix of weapons in use.