France eyes new rifles
Bids on tender are due by 15 February.
The French Army (via its equipment maintenance division SIMMT) has issued a tender for an undisclosed quantity of multi-calibre precision rifles, spare parts and related services.
Bids are due by 15 February.
SIMMT intends to award a seven-year framework contract to a single company. It will acquire between €340,000 ($415,000) and €3.5 million worth of rifles.
Shephard Defence Insight notes that France awarded Heckler & Koch a contract in September 2016 to deliver 100,000 HK416Fs (a modified version of the HK416 A5 assault rifle) to replace the FAMAS rifles (pictured) in French Army service from 2017-2027. In May 2017, French procurement agency DGA accepted the first batch of HK416F rifles.
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