Saudi Arabia using Heckler & Koch G36, HK416, HK417?

[Fritz Werner]

OK friends, here is a challenging riddle:

Has the Wahabi Kingdom of Saudi Arabia started to replace its G3 assault rifles with G36, HK416 or HK417 from Heckler & Koch?

Check this out:

1. Germany has reported to the UN Conventional Arms Register that it issued licenses for the export of 2.000 assault rifles to Saudi Arabia in 2006 and for 5.100 (!) assault rifles in 2007:
http://disarmament.un.org/UN_REGISTER.NSF/5cb8afbbb6536a298525647d00612b14/17632a37fd7cc49a8525730f007fb281?OpenDocument
http://disarmament.un.org/UN_REGISTER.NSF/5cb8afbbb6536a298525647d00612b14/3afdded9cc0d8b608525749d005bd19f?OpenDocument

2. The only producer of assault rifles in Germany is Heckler & Koch. Sauer, Walther, Mauser etc. only manufacture hand guns, sniper and sporting rifles so H&K must be the supplier.

3. Saudi Arabia has maintained its own G3 license production in Al Kharj since the Seventies.

4. Also, H&K does not produce the G3 in Germany anymore:
http://www.heckler-koch.de/HKWeb/show/frameContent/19/4/19

Hence it must be either G36, HK416 or HK417, right?
However, I have searched the net back and forth but found no hint whatsoever about Saudi armed forces or police using those types.
Jane's does not mention any either.

Question: Does anyone have a clue, pics or other sources? Surely it would be no small matter. Any comment welcome!!
p-)
_______________________________________________________
"PREVENT TRUTH DECAY"

[SBL]

Sig Sauer makes assault rifles.

[domokun]

Sig Sauer makes assault rifles.

I think they call that part that builds those assault rifles Swiss Arms now... at least that was case in 2006. Sig Sauer makes only bolt action rifles and pistols these days.p-)

[alexgodinez]

my guess is the g-36

[Albatross]

I think they call that part that builds those assault rifles Swiss Arms now... at least that was case in 2006. Sig Sauer makes only bolt action rifles and pistols these days.p-)

http://www.sigsauer.com/Products/ShowCatalogProductDetails.aspx?categoryid=35&productid=228

negatron......

[speckfire]

http://www.sigsauer.com/Products/ShowCatalogProductDetails.aspx?categoryid=35&productid=228

negatron......

That's only for the US Market taken from the Swiss arms line. SIG USA is marketing the SIG556 for the US. It's a hideous bastardized version of the 550 that Swiss arm makes
http://swissarms2.ath.cx/index.php?id=31&L=1

[Troubadour]

The 556 isn't a 550. The 556 is a whole new rifle in itself.

Anyways, I am gonna put my money on G36s.

[bleaches]

556 is manufactured in the states

[speckfire]

The 556 isn't a 550. The 556 is a whole new rifle in itself.

Anyways, I am gonna put my money on G36s.

I hope the 556 isnt the 550. As I said its a cheap knockoff and bastardised

You should reconsider the G36s VS the Sigs. Obviously you've never tried both ;)
Id take the HK-416 or the 550 before the G36


556 is manufactured in the states
Bingo !!!

[SBL]

556 is manufactured in the states
Oh .

[Troubadour]

I hope the 556 isnt the 550. As I said its a cheap knockoff and bastardised

You should reconsider the G36s VS the Sigs. Obviously you've never tried both ;)
Id take the HK-416 or the 550 before the G36


Bingo !!!

I was putting my money on the Saudi's buying G36s. I love Sig Sauer assault rifles.

[REMOV]

OK friends, here is a challenging riddle: Has the Wahabi Kingdom of Saudi Arabia started to replace its G3 assault rifles with G36, HK416 or HK417 from Heckler & Koch? Saudi Arabia has bought licence for the G36 assault rifle. The H&K representatives officialy told me that when I was in the factory in Oberndorf. Funny thing I saw at the production line... GPMG for British Army (receivers, barrels, bolt carriers and 7,62-mm belts everywhere at the factory shooting range), so squaddies will get the H&K GPMG soon p-)

[speckfire]

I was putting my money on the Saudi's buying G36s. I love Sig Sauer assault rifles.

My bad !
As for Saudi Arabia, someone is getting a payoff ;)

[domokun]

The 556 isn't a 550. The 556 is a whole new rifle in itself.

Whole new? I don't buy it. Okay, I have only seen 556 in pictures in intarweb... but it looks like 550 with some external changes: stanag magazine well and M4 like stock. BTW. Those hideous small holes in hand guard looks only good for getting mud inside it and make look cooler for airsofters.


I hope the 556 isnt the 550. As I said its a cheap knockoff and bastardised

Agreed.

[Fritz Werner]

Sig Sauer makes assault rifles.

Yeah, I had been thinking of that too but Sauer Germany's website only features one military rifle, the SAUER SSG 3000:
http://www.sauer-waffen.de/index.php?id=161〈=en (http://www.sauer-waffen.de/index.php?id=161&lang=en)
Also, I have never come across any report about SIG assault rifles being dealt via Germany. So I reckon this only leaves H&K..

[oldsoak]

Saudi Arabia has bought licence for the G36 assault rifle. The H&K representatives officialy told me that when I was in the factory in Oberndorf. Funny thing I saw at the production line... GPMG for British Army (receivers, barrels, bolt carriers and 7,62-mm belts everywhere at the factory shooting range), so squaddies will get the H&K GPMG soon p-)

- eh ? remanufactured FN MAG GPMG ( that would be fun as we used imperial measurements, not metric ) or new build ? or even new model ?

[Fritz Werner]

Saudi Arabia has bought licence for the G36 assault rifle. The H&K representatives officialy told me that when I was in the factory in Oberndorf.

Right: this would correspond with the annual reports of the German government on armament exports during recent years. They all report licenses for the export of categories 0018 (manufacturing equipment for armaments) and 0022 (technology). This could be it.

[Chapstique1567]

hmmm..that is an interesting bit of info, but I am also going to say the G-36 as well.

[Fritz Werner]

Last Sunday the newspaper "Neue Züricher Zeitung" reported that the Swiss Foreign Office opposes Brügger & Thomet's intention to export 12.000 MP9 to the kingdom on the grounds of Saudi Arabia's human rights record:

http://www.nzz.ch/nachrichten/schweiz/umstrittener_waffenexport_nach_saudiarabien_1.1090287.html

Perhaps the Saudis will have to turn to H&K's MP7...

[kongman]

what weapon has Saudi Arabia been using up until now ??

[Fritz Werner]

what weapon has Saudi Arabia been using up until now ??

G3 and MP5 big time:

http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200501/17/images/0116_B07.jpg

http://img21.exs.cx/img21/8494/saudi049tm.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v292/hkusp9f/hkpropost/capt_sge_eks45_281107155503_photo00.jpg

http://img21.exs.cx/img21/4391/saudi033ch.jpg

http://img21.exs.cx/img21/5199/saudi069kw.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v432/camneus/Saudiroyalguard_01.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v432/camneus/Saudiroyalguard_02.jpg

Most pics thanks to hkpro.com

[REMOV]

what weapon has Saudi Arabia been using up until now ??Basic battle rifle of the Saudian Army is the licence-built G3 but they also using AKM (Romanian versions), Steyr AUG, Colt M16A2/M4 among others in small numbers (for instance FN F2000).

[Fritz Werner]

Basic battle rifle of the Saudian Army is the licence-built G3 but they also using AKM (Romanian versions), Steyr AUG, Colt M16A2/M4 among others in small numbers (for instance FN F2000).

This looks like the AKM:

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41355000/jpg/_41355621_saudi_security_ap.jpg
from BBC

http://www.saudi-us-relations.org/images/Specials/AprRiyadh1.jpg
from www.saudi-us-relations.org (http://www.saudi-us-relations.org)

http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200501/17/images/0116_B08.jpg
peopledaily.com.cn