Spain modernizes naval infantry equipment with European-made rifle and handgun.

It has been known for some time that Spain will equip its Tercio de Armada (TEAR) of the Marine Infantry Brigade (Brigada de Infantería de Marina, BRIMAR) with new light weapons. In April of this year, photos first appeared in the Spanish media showing marines during intensive training with Heckler & Koch HK416 A5 rifles, caliber 5.56 x 45 mm. The photos show the A5 variant with a 14.5-inch barrel length. In these photos, the weapon had only front and rear sights, but more recent photos show a Micro M-2 2MOA red dot sight, including an Aimpoint magnifier, as the optic.
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Naval infantry soldier tests HK 416A5 with 14,5 inches barrel in April 2024 ( Picture source : Tercio de Armada)

The additional equipment includes a Steiner Defense AN/PEQ-15A DBAL-A2 Advanced 2 dual-beam laser designator (with a 5 mW visible red laser of class 3R, an <50 mW IR laser of class 3B, and an <50 mW IR illuminator) and an INFORCE WML White Gen2 tactical weapon light. This light offers 400 lumens of bright white light, is ultra-compact, and has three operating modes: constant, momentary, and strobe. The high-performance spotlight provides a runtime of up to 1.5 hours and weighs 91 grams. The weapon light’s high-intensity focused beam fills the field of view for target identification at short and medium ranges. The user-friendly system ensures the light only activates when the shooter is ready.

According to the unit, the acquisition of the new assault rifle is part of the training intended for use in NATO's Enhanced Vigilance Activities (eVA) in Romania. The soldiers will be deployed there as part of the multinational eVA battlegroup starting in November. All of this is within the framework of NATO's "Forward Land Forces" mission. Spain is active there mainly with forces from France (lead nation), Belgium, Poland, Portugal, and the United States. According to Spanish media, the marines of the 10th BRIMAR/TEAR company, stationed in San Fernando near Cádiz, will begin their service in Romania. The unit is and will be replaced by comrades from the 9th Company in May 2025.

Since 2022, Spain has launched several tenders and awards for HK416, HK417 assault rifles, and GLM A1 grenade launchers for its marines. Until now, only the Spanish Special Naval Warfare Force (FGNE) had used the HK416. Now, specialized forces are also being equipped with it. This means that the HK416 is gradually becoming a standard weapon. The weapon replaces the G36. There is a parallel with the Bundeswehr. Here, the G95A1 and A1K replace the G36. The G95 is based on the HK416A8. Furthermore, the Spanish marines in Romania will work alongside French Army soldiers, who also use the HK416 A5.

Naval infantry soldier tests HK 416A5 with 14,5 inches barrel in April 2024 ( Picture source : Tercio de Armada)

In addition to the new assault rifle, a new pistol, the Glock G45 in 9 x 19 mm caliber, will also be used by soldiers in preparation for their deployment in Romania. Until now, the unit had mainly used the Llama M-82 (currently being phased out) and the SIG P230. The new Glock 45 is a compact pistol from the crossover model series. Due to its dimensions and light weight (694 grams), this semi-automatic pistol is versatile. With this model, Glock presents a further development of the G19X.

The new G45 features a durable nDLC coating and an ambidextrous slide release lever. The full-size grip, like that of the Glock 17, combined with the slide dimensions of a Glock 19 (barrel length of 102 mm), creates a new generation of pistols. The weapon is also used by Polish combat swimmers (according to S&T). The weapon is primarily intended to provide advantages in urban areas or Close Quarters Battle (CQB).

It uses the Glock Marksman Barrel (GMB) to improve accuracy. The GMB grooves were created as part of a tender for the U.S. Army. Thanks to the new modified polygonal barrel profile, they reportedly offer higher accuracy potential than previous Glock barrels. The magazine has an internal funnel intended to reduce reload time.