The Lithuanian Army is set to procure a further batch of upgraded Heckler & Koch G36 rifles, along with a number of ambidextrous grenade launchers in a contract worth 11 million Euros ($12.6 million). Lithuania adopted the G36 in 2007, and despite the overheating and melting issues suffered by Bundeswehr rifles, in 2016 they restarted procurement of G36s following their own testing.

They found that the guns only “diverge from their technical characteristics only in case they are used for fire support, i.e. as light machine guns.” Lithuania received its most recent batch of rifles in 2017, the new order continues procurement of a modified variant of the G36 which the Lithuanian army calls the G36 KA4M1.

HK’s most recent variant of the G36, the A11 (HK)

Heckler & Koch will equip the Lithuanian armed forces with additional G36 assault rifles and additional 40mm HK269 attachments. In October 2018, the commissioning of the additional procurement by the Lithuanian Ministry of Defense took place. The total volume of the order amounts to around 11 million euros. Delivery will be in 2019.

The G36 has been the standard assault rifle of the Lithuanian Army since 2007. The recently awarded contract focuses on a modified variant of the G36, which is used by the armed forces of Lithuania under the name G36 KA4M1. The ordered weapon configuration complies with and follows the experiences, wishes and recommendations of the user level. The modular G36 KA4M1 is equipped with a new shoulder rest, a new, slimmer hand guard and a modified sight rail.

The new 40mm attachment HK269 differs from its predecessor by the possibility that the gun barrel can be swung out both to the left and to the right and thus the weapon can be operated by left and right shooters.

The news comes as the German Army’s trials to find a suitable replacement for the G36 have stalled with an extension of testing ordered to continue evaluations after none of the submitted rifles fulfilled the Bundeswehr’s requirements. The new Lithuanian rifles are set to be delivered in 2019.

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