The Bundeswehr is to get 120,000 new assault rifles. A corresponding tender has been running for years, and things are currently looking good for the Heckler & Koch weapons company. A patent dispute related to this tender has now been settled.
Against the background of a major order from the German Armed Forces, the arms company Heckler & Koch and the US magazine manufacturer Magpul have settled a patent dispute.
The parties agree that H&K can offer and sell a self-developed magazine in Great Britain and in EU countries, “particularly as part of the current assault rifle tender” of the Bundeswehr procurement office, said the weapons manufacturer from Oberndorf near Stuttgart . Details of the agreement were not given.
The reference to the assault rifle tender illustrates the importance of the legal dispute. Because there was the question of whether the German manufacturer was offering a product that had patent defects as part of a major order from the federal government for 120,000 new assault rifles. A federal report came to the conclusion that this is not the case. In order to dispel the last remaining legal concerns, H&K submitted a “negative declaratory action” to the Düsseldorf district court last year. In doing so, the German manufacturer wanted to have the court confirm that it had a clean record when it came to patents.
But there is no court decision at all because the gunsmiths and the American supplier have reached an out-of-court settlement. It is therefore clear that Magpul does not make any patent claims regarding the Heckler & Koch magazine.
The federal government’s large-scale assault rifle order is important for Heckler & Koch. Such an order is also important as a reference to other countries – it serves as a kind of advertisement so that other customers also buy the rifle. H&K is currently in good hands in the race for the order. However, the inferior competitor CGHaenel pulls out all the legal stops. Next Wednesday, the Düsseldorf Higher Regional Court will hear whether Haenel is definitely excluded from the ongoing procurement process or whether it can participate again. If Haenel were ruled out, Heckler & Koch would almost certainly have the order.
Source: Stern
Jane Stock is a technology author, who has written for 24 Hours World. She writes about the latest in technology news and trends, and is always on the lookout for new and innovative ways to improve his audience’s experience.
