French armed forces have already taken delivery of 53,000 HK416 F assault rifles.

French armed forces continue the process for the replacement of its old FAMAS assault rifle. The DGA (French Army procurement agency) has just received 2,000 new HK416 F assault rifles for the Army, Navy and Air Forces, bringing the number of assault rifles delivered to date to 53,000 units. A total of 117,000 units will be delivered to the French armed forces by 2028, including 93,000 units by 2025.
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The HK416F is now the standard assault rifle for the French armed forces. (Picture source Christophe BARAST/armée de Terre/Défense)

In September 2016, France has selected the German-made HK416 as the successor of the famous FAMAS. Known initially as the "Arme Individuelle Future" (AIF), the selected weapon is a variant of the battle-proven HK416A5 assault rifle.

The FAMAS (Fusil d'Assaut de la Manufacture d'Armes de Saint-Étienne, in English Assault Rifle from the Saint-Étienne Weapon Factory) is a bullpup assault rifle designed and manufactured in France by MAS in 1978. It is expected to remain in limited service until 2028.

The contract includes the supply over a period of 15 years of up to 102,000 HK416 5.56 x 45 mm assault rifles, 10,767 40 x 46 mm grenade launchers, ammunition, spare parts, support services, and accessories. The weapon will be delivered in two versions with different barrel lengths depending on the user's mission and will equip all French Army, Navy, and Air Force personnel.

The HK416 F for the French armed forces is available in two versions including the HK416 F-S (Standard) and HK416 F-C (Compact). The HK416 F is based on the design of HK416A5 and can be used by left and right-handed shooters. The new French army standard assault rifle HK416F is a gas pressure loader system that is similar to the American-made AR-15 manufactured by Colt.

The HK416 F is equipped with an adjustable shoulder stock which can be sized from 741 mm to 842mm for the C variant or 831mm to 931mm for the S variant. The HK416 F has a width of 77 mm (without attachments) and a height of 253 mm (without sight). The S-version has an empty weight of 3,755 kg while the C-version is lighter with a weight of 3,450 kg.

The HK416 F features a cold-hammered barrel with six grooves and a right-hand spin. It uses a magazine which has a capacity of 30 cartridges.