Weapons

Heckler & Koch to build new US Army sniper rifle

Heckler & Koch has been awarded the US Army's Compact Semi-Automatic Sniper System (CSASS) with a potential USD44.5 million initial contract, according to a 1 April announcement.

The German company's US subsidiary bested seven other bids for the work, understood to be with its Heckler & Koch G28 (Gewehr-28) Designated Marksman Rifle, meant to supplement the army's 7.62 mm M110 Semi-Automatic Sniper System (SASS) fleet.

Under the deal the army could order up to 3,643 CSASS units, after initial qualification and operational testing on 30 CSASS units.

According to the programme's February 2014 presolicitation notice, the army wanted enough CSASSs "to match the current M110 Army Acquisition Objective" of no more than 3,643.