Heckler & Koch Begins Delivery of New G95A1 Assault Rifles to German Armed Forces
First official order marks the start of series production for over 118,000 rifles, reinforcing H&K’s central role in modernizing Germany’s small arms arsenal
Photo: Heckler & Koch
German small arms manufacturer Heckler & Koch has announced the receipt of the first official order for the delivery of the new standard-issue G95A1 assault rifle and its shorter variant, the KA1, to the German Armed Forces.
The procurement process began in 2017 with a Europe-wide tender and was legally concluded in 2023. The newly placed order marks the operational start of series production and delivery. According to current plans, a total of 118,718 G95A1 and KA1 rifles are to be procured. Depending on the future development of the German Army’s size—an end strength of 460,000 troops has been mentioned—this number could increase significantly, even as the existing G36 remains in service.
The G95A1 is based on the HK416 A8 and features minor modifications compared to the G95K, which is based on the HK416 A7 and is already in service with the German Army’s Special Forces.
While the KSK (Kommando Spezialkräfte) uses the G95K equipped with the EOTech EXPS3-0 NV reflex sight, and the Kampfschwimmer (combat swimmers) use an Aimpoint red dot sight, the G95A1 is reportedly outfitted with the ELCAN Specter DR riflescope offering 1x to 4x magnification. The rifle also includes mechanical backup sights.
This order highlights the key and ongoing role of Heckler & Koch in arming the German military. Just this week, the company delivered its 15,000th MG5 machine gun to the Bundeswehr. The MG5 universal machine gun is gradually replacing the MG3, which has served the German Armed Forces for decades.