I didnt know the British SA-80 was made by HK.

[D-man]

anyone esle not know this? or was it jsut me? :P btw the british army homepage owns the US army'site... our Army needs a new site
design.

[veil]

It's rather the other way around : the company that makes the S80 (formerly Enfield) now owns HK on paper. They also produce the mp5 in Britain.

-Veil

[D-man]

why would HK sell to enfield? that sux http://www.specialoperations.com/ubboard/frown.gif

[D.E. Watters]

The Royal Small Arms Factory at Enfield Lock developed the SA80 family of weapon which became the L85A1 Individual Weapon and L86A1 Light Support Weapon. RSAF Enfield also produced the L85A1/L86A1 for the first years after its adoption. However, the Conservative government was promoting the privatization of government owned industries, and thus the Ministry of Defence (MOD) put the contract up for outside bids when it became clear that Enfield could not manufacture them for the cost and quantities desired.

Royal Ordnance (RO) won the second L85A1/L86A1 contract in March 1987, but the company was bought out by British Aerospace (BAe) a month later. The MOD gave BAe a few months grace to figure out whether they wished to honor the contract. BAe replied they could not accept the contract unless production at Enfield was halted. Thus, the MOD agreed to shut down Enfield by the end of 1988 while RO would start production at their Nottingham facility. In the mean time, Enfield would supply RO with parts and assistance.

Unfortunately, gunmaking was and remains pretty much just a sideline for RO compared to their aerial bombs and artillery pieces. Around the same time, RO also bought and closed the famed Britsh gunmaker Sterling. RO's Nottingham facility was essentially just a bunch of semi-skilled laborers assembling rifles from subcontracted parts. Managers even bragged about making 'Lego
rifles'.

HK didn't have much choice in selling out to BAe/RO. HK had already poured much of its capital into the G11 caseless rifle project. With the collapse of the 'Iron Curtain' and the reunification of Germany, the market for the expensive G11 dried up overnight. They were for all intents and purposes broke.

Within the first few months after the buyout, RO proceeded to cut HK-Oberndorf's work force by about half. In a PR attempt to duck continuing criticism of the L85A1/L86A1, the RO Nottingham facility was renamed Heckler & Koch (UK). However, HK (Germany) has only supplied barrels and a few small parts for the L85A1/L86A1.



[This message has been edited by D.E. Watters (edited 02-10-2000).]