More info on the acquisition process (and some doubts about the outcome) from TFB.

It looks like this might not be a 100% money in the bank  done deal , between politics and performance of the 390 test guns in the first year, things could go sideways like its often the case with military procurement 

''The current schedule is that the German Parliament is to consider the project at the end of 2020. No delivery contract can be signed with Haenel (or anyone else) before then. Currently the procurement plan is for a total of 118,718 assault rifles, in the period from 2023 to 2026 and onwards. The procurement of the Bundeswehr assault rifle system is planned to be done in four separate lots. a) Basic weapon with accessories. b) Optics for proficiency levels 1-2. c) Optics for proficiency levels 3. d) Laser Light Module.

The supply of weapons is planned as follows :

2021 390 Test samples.

2022 0

2023 13,300

2024 20,000

2025 20,000

2026 65.028''

The German Ministry of Defence has published the process followed in this assault rifle competition.

According to press reports published in Germany today, the Haenel offer costs 152 million Euros, compared to 179 millions offered by HK.

Or perhaps not?   https://www.overtdefense.com/2020/10/09/breaking-bundeswehr-withdraw-order-for-haenel-mk556/

A patent blitzkrieg is being developed right now.

Over a basic 60 years old design. Even SIG could participate in it ROFL

It seems the case is not as clear cut as it seemed, I am sure H&K put all its lobying might behind this but,in addtion to the patent stuff ,some of the results of the testing just don't add up, like Haenel having 7% better penetration than HK using the same barrel length and ammo.?

What was officialy withdrawn, is the formal letter informing Haenel about the intention to accept its offer. 

The declared reason for this is information in the protest by Heckler & Koch which indicates to BAAIN plausible reason to suspect that the Haenel offer could contain a patent infringement. 

Unofficially it is reported that the infringed patent in question is held by Magpul and Haenel's magazine contractor is the culprit.

I cannot resist to remind readers that G3 procurement was also accompanied by patent problems, in that case Mauser, Rheinmetall (licensed by Grossfuss) and Heckler & Koch. That problem was solved by a Gentlemens Agreement, basically by assigning compensation contracts to Rheinmetall and Mauser. Which was quite easy in a fast growing Bundeswehr. Today, lack of gentlemen both, in industry (greed out of bounds) and in administration (avoid taking responsibility at all cost) makes a similar solution unthinkable.   

How do you feel after foreseeing what was going to happen with minutiae patent agression?

poliorcetes said:

Over a basic 60 years old design. Even SIG could participate in it ROFL

In case anyone needs more evidence of how intellectually destitute the arms industries of France, UK, Germany and the US are. Poland and Austria, Italy and the Czechs though. . .