IEA Mil-Optics is a German company supplying premium solutions for Armies and professionals. Their booth at IWA (or any other exhibition) is always worth at least one visit, if you’re a TFB reader you should have seen already a few pictures from there.

According to several sources, for instance IEA themselves and Mittler Report Verlag IEA Mil-Optics have received an order from the BAAINBw (Federal Office of Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support) to supply the German Special Forces with the following optics EOTECH EXPS3-0 and G33 Magnifier for the G95K (Heckler & Koch 416 A7, Short version).

Check here for more pictures of the G95 here and here.

Heckler & Koch G95

According to document “Supplies – 402294-2018” in TED we can find the following proof. Unfortunately there are no specific details as how much the contract is worth. My best guess is that this is an order to further test and evaluate this setup from EOTech, but it could be much more than that.

Short description of the contract or purchase(s):

Herstellung und Lieferung von Eotech Reflexvisieren und dazugehörigen Booster für das Gewehr G95K

Furthermore, from Europäische Sicherheit & Technik 09/2018 (Auto translated from German).

IEA Mil-Optics receives further order for special forces:
The special forces are also used in the new G95 again for the EOTECH EXPS3-0 and BOOSTER G33

The Bundeswehr procurement office recently announced on TED, the site for European public procurement, that the order for the delivery of the sighting device for the new assault rifle special forces (G95k) will go to the Black Forest-based company IEA MIL-OPTICS GmbH.

IEA is the exclusive distribution partner of L3 Technologies in Germany and has already supplied the visors for the current assault rifles (G36K A4) of the Special Forces Command (KSK).

Although the exact number was not disclosed, it can be assumed that for each procured rifle (1,745 pieces minus the share Aimpoint for the KSM) a combination of reflex sight and booster (laterally foldable 3-bin magnifying glass) were commissioned.

The visor combination is the EOTech EXPS 3-0 with the G33 booster, which can also be used in conjunction with night vision goggles and is mounted on the picture to be seen on an HK416 A5.

The optics solution for the G95k, by EOTech.

G95K with EOTech

Which company will land the final contract? I presume this is still up for discussion. There is proof from TED online (see above) that EOTech – via their representation in Germany – did get a contract but the size is unknown.

There are rumors that Aimpoint are still in the fight, but I cannot find any proof of an order in TED, not yet anyway.

Aimpoint (Made in Sweden, within EU) would make some sense. If you remember Germany stopped evaluating the SIG Sauer MCX as they were under ITAR. That would be an issue for EOTech as well, and ITAR is playing an increasing role for the Armies in Europe.

For the record, Schmidt & Bender (Made in EU) won a contract with their 1-8×24 PMII, with a total of  368 units for the Heckler & Koch G28.

We can only report what we know for the moment, but for sure this subject is to be continued…

Author’s photo from IWA

Sources: Mittler Report Verlag and others quoted above.