Portugal seeking new assault rifles, light machine guns, sub-machine guns, and pistol

[HCM]

Attention Rifle & MG companies: Portugal needs a replacement


The Portuguese Army has recently put out a tender for a procurement of 10,225 light machine guns, rifles, submachine guns and handguns according to a recent report by Jane’s Defense (in an article very poorly edited for what they usually put out). The procurement will be in the ballpark of $90.2 million, and is intended for the Army to replace three entire battalions worth of small arms.


Currently the Portuguese are still using an assortment of G3s, HK 21Es, Uzis, and P5 (modern P38 made by Walter) handguns

http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2016/09/01/attention-rifle-mg-companies-portugal-needs-replacement/



http://www.janes.com/article/62691/portugal-plans-small-arms-replacement-project


Portugal's Mechanized and Intervention Brigades and General Support Forces mostly field INDEP G3 assault rifles, HK21 and MG42-59 light machine guns, UZI sub-machine guns, and P38 pistols. The Rapid Reaction Brigade also utilises the G36KV/CV, SG-543, Galil AR/ARM and HK416A5 assault rifles; MG4 machine gun upgraded MP5 SD6 and UMP sub-machine guns; and P228 and USP pistols.

[ranger]

Interesting, 10,000+ weapons normally equals about two or three Brigades as a Battalion is normally about 600+.

[HCM]

Interesting, 10,000+ weapons normally equals about two or three Brigades as a Battalion is normally about 600+.

I don't know if the numbers add up but they are looking at replacing all small arms for the three battalions, not just rifles.

[okie john]

Interesting, 10,000+ weapons normally equals about two or three Brigades as a Battalion is normally about 600+.

Hard to say. The article also said the Portuguese army plans "to entirely replace the bulk of its small arms", so it could be buying significant numbers of additional weapons for war stocks or other deep storage, or distribute to other countries as part of foreign aid plans, to stock the various schools and training institutions, and to have operational spares, etc. It also depends on the weapons mix. If they're equipping special ops people then typically there would be more pieces per trooper, as those guys like to have options. Also, if they plan to distribute pistols more widely, then that could change the balance significantly.

What I really think it means, though, is that the Portuguese generals are getting ready to fight a long, hard war on their own territory, and they want solid gear before things fall completely apart.

Be interesting to see how it pans out, though...


Okie John

[HCM]

What I really think it means, though, is that the Portuguese generals are getting ready to fight a long, hard war on their own territory, and they want solid gear before things fall completely apart.

Be interesting to see how it pans out, though...


Okie John

So I can think of a few scenarios for this:

1) EU Unrest due to financial collapse
2) EU break up resulting in European civil war
3) The Reconquista Part 2 - Islamic insurgency, maybe via Spain ?
4) The Russians

Am I even in the ball park ?

[JDM]

If they are just getting rid of those HK21s I could probably help them out with a couple few 1200 of them.

[okie john]

So I can think of a few scenarios for this:

1) EU Unrest due to financial collapse
2) EU break up resulting in European civil war
3) The Reconquista Part 2 - Islamic insurgency, maybe via Spain ?
4) The Russians

Am I even in the ball park ?

Unfortunately, yes. Now that I think about it, maybe they're getting ready for a draft and they know that they're gonna need guns for all of the new guys.


Okie John

[TiroFijo]

Historically Portugal has always bought german light weapons, it would be interesting if they go with HK again this time...

[Chance]

Didn't the French recently select the HK 416 to replace the FAMAS, or was that a rumor?

[TiroFijo]

Didn't the French recently select the HK 416 to replace the FAMAS, or was that a rumor?

Confirmed by Jim Schatz (G3Kurz) at HKpro forums:

http://www.hkpro.com/forum/hk416-hk417-hq/227989-90-000-hk416a5-france-13.html

[HCM]

Historically Portugal has always bought german light weapons, it would be interesting if they go with HK again this time...

I would not be surprised. Portuguese Special Forces are already using the HK 416 and 417.

[Wondering Beard]

Didn't the French recently select the HK 416 to replace the FAMAS, or was that a rumor?

Encore une que les boches n'auront pas ... oh wait

[Hot Sauce]

So I can think of a few scenarios for this:

1) EU Unrest due to financial collapse
2) EU break up resulting in European civil war
3) The Reconquista Part 2 - Islamic insurgency, maybe via Spain ?
4) The Russians

Am I even in the ball park ?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portuguese_Army

More than likely, it'll be a peacekeeping or training/advisory role in a much less kinetic conflict.

Their army is too small for any of those scenarios save for perhaps #1.

[TiroFijo]

The scenario is simply replacing aging inventory... nothing else.

[JodyH]

H&K has been selling the shit out of 416's and 417's recently.

[Hauptmann]

H&K has been selling the shit out of 416's and 417's recently.

I'd definitely take one if it was a true semiauto version of the 416/417. At the moment though HK thinks I suck, and the company hates me.

[JodyH]

I'd definitely take one if it was a true semiauto version of the 416/417. At the moment though HK thinks I suck, and the company hates me.
My MR762 has been a spectacular .308 AR.