As you may know the French National Gendarmerie Intervention Group (GIGN) has ordered a new standard issue weapon, TFB reported about it earlier.

They selected the rather unusual CZ Bren 2 in an even more unusual, for Western Special Forces at least, caliber in terms of the 7,62×39 mm. According to Wikipedia, they only ordered 68 Bren 2s, so it’s not an enormous order.

The reason why GIGN chose the CZ Bren 2 in 7,62×39 was due to a small size and the ballistic punch it offers. They considered that anything in 7,62×51 NATO, which offered the desired characteristics, was to heavy and bulky.

I’m not French, but I used to live in France, so I’m not too surprised about all these unusual and unconventional choices. Who am I to tell them they are wrong?

To my knowledge, GIGN are now the first European Special Forces unit to chose the MAWL-DA aiming and illumination laser from B.E. Meyers USA.

It looks like a Trijicon on with a red dot from the same brand on top of the Bren.

(All pictures of the MAWL-DA apart from the top are obviously mounted on another firearm than the BREN 2)

B.E. Meyers & Co., Inc. develops and supplies optoelectronic and related products used for defense, security and law enforcement applications. The company’s core competencies include targeting and illumination systems; weapon-mounted, hand-held and integrated lasers; non-lethal lasers; night vision and surveillance systems; and other weapon accessories.

According to B.E. Meyers the MAWL-DA is “a high power infrared and visible green aiming and illumination laser for individual carbines. Offering improved ergonomics, interface, and performance, the MAWL-DA has been designed from the ground up around the evolved needs of the modern night fighter“.