Tag Archives: HK269

AUG Man! Luxembourg Shows off New HKs, Replacing Steyrs

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The Army of the mighty Grand Duchy of Luxembourg has been receiving and issuing its troops a series of new Heckler & Koch rifles, phasing out the venerable Steyr AUG bullpup.

Luxembourg, a constitutional monarchy sandwiched geographically between Belgium, France, and Germany, was inadvertently caught up in both World Wars and was one of the 12 founding members of NATO in 1949 – intending to keep out of a third.

With about 600,000 inhabitants, the country has been taking its defense more seriously in recent years and is increasing outlays for new gear, aiming to double military spending by 2028. This modernization included an April 2023 contract with Heckler & Koch for new HK416A7 5.56 NATO caliber rifles in 11- and 14.5-inch formats, along with HK269 40mm grenade launcher modules and HK417A2 rifles in 7.62 NATO.

The adoption makes sense logistically as both the French and German armies have recently adopted the HK416 as their main service rifle.

Luxembourg’s 1,200-strong army has been keeping a running play-by-play on social media over the past couple of months as it fields its 1,350 assorted new HKs.

Note the short barrel format, Coyote color, and installed angled foregrip. (All photos: Lëtzebuerger Armei/Facebook)

The Luxembourg Army strives to train 200 new recruits every year, allowing a theoretical 5,000 former soldiers under age 45 among the population should they be needed.The nomenclature and manual of arms for the HK rifles are a big change from those used with the AUG over the past 30 years.Especially when it comes to drill.How about these bayonets? Especially on a 14.5-inch barrel. They seem to be the Steyr KCB 77 style, which the country already had on hand rather than the German Eickhorn SG2000 style seen on other HK416s. In the field, the Luxembourger HK417s are running Elcan SpecterDR 1-4x optics, which are a big upgrade from the old 1.5x fixed scopes on the early-gen AUG.

Luxembourg adopted the Steyr AUG in 1995

The AUGs replaced Cold War 9mm UZIs and 7.62 NATO FN FALs– which served back when the country fielded a 4,700-strong brigade on a population of just 300,000.

Before that, the country was armed with FN-49s going back to the 1950s.

Luxembourg may keep their old AUGs on hand for emergency wartime use as, after all, thousands of residents are familiar with the design.

If they don’t, maybe we could see a brief influx of AUG parts kits, which I don’t think anyone on this side of the pond will complain about.

Lithuanians are totally down with the G36

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Despite some issues and a controversy over accuracy, the Lithuanian Army is doubling down on HK G36s.

Oberndorf, Germany, August 31, 2016:

Heckler & Koch will supply the Lithuanian armed forces with additional G36 assault rifles and the new 40mm grenade launcher, the HK269. The Lithuanian Ministry of National Defence placed the order at the end of August 2016. The contract is for approx. €12.5 million (USD14 million). Delivery will be in 2017.

The G36 has been the Lithuanian Army’s standard assault rifle since 2007. The new order is for a  modified  version  of  the  G36,  which  the  Lithuanian  armed  forces  have  designated  the G36 KA4M1. The weapon configuration that has been ordered corresponds to the experience, observations and recommendations of the users. The modular G36 KA4M1 will be equipped with new buttstocks, slimmer handguards and modified sight rails. The 40mm HK269 that is being introduced at the same time differs from its predecessors in that it is possible to open the barrel on either side, so that the weapon can be used with ease by both left and right-handed users.

It’s not the only update to the country’s military, as Lithuania has received about 200 combat and medium-lift Mercedes-Benz GD vehicles, trucks and other military vehicles from the Netherlands in a $7 million deal to supplement and update the Baltic country’s military fleet.

This comes as NATO has announces a commitment to base four mechanized battalions (drawn from U.S., British, German and Canadian forces) in Eastern Europe backed up by a further 5,000-man Joint Task Force.

But in the spirit of “the enemy of my enemy is my friend,” Lithuania is passing 150 tons of surplus Cold War Soviet ammunition, mainly 7.62x39mm cartridges, to embattled neighbor Ukraine.  Nostrovia!