France will equip its army with assault rifles from the German manufacturer Heckler & Koch in future. Soldiers in all three branches of the armed forces will be equipped with HK416F assault rifles until 2027. According to the Directorate General for Armaments (DGA), the deal will “further strengthen the solid relations between Germany and France in the defense sector and especially in the arms industry.” The F-model is based on the HK416A5 and can be used by both right- and left-handed operators. The 300 million euro order includes 102,000 rifles of the NATO standard caliber 5.56 mm × 45, 10,700 grenade launcher attachments, accessories and ammunition. The Famas model currently used in France was introduced in the 1970s, but is now considered technically obsolete.
