The Heckler & Koch G11 is a non-production prototype assault rifle developed from the late 1960s to the 1980s by Gesellschaft für Hülsenlose Gewehrsysteme (GSHG) (German for "Association for Caseless Rifle Systems"), a conglomeration of companies headed by firearm manufacturer Heckler & Koch (mechanical engineering and weapon design), Dynamit Nobel (propellant composition and projectile design), and Hensoldt Wetzlar (target identification and optic systems). The rifle is noted for its use of caseless ammunition.
It was primarily a project of West Germany, though it was of significance to the other NATO countries as well. In particular, versions of the G11 were included in the U.S. Advanced Combat Rifle program.
In 1990, H&K finished the development of the G11, intended for the Bundeswehr and other NATO partners. Although the weapon was a technical success, it never entered full production due to the political changes of German reunification and lack of procurement contract. Only 1000 units were ever produced, some of which made their way into the hands of the Bundeswehr. Ultimately, the German armed forces replaced the G3 with the G36.Woźniak, Ryszard. Encyklopedia najnowszej broni palnej - tom 2 G-Ł. Bellona. 2001. pp. 17–21.
History and development
Development began around 1967 when NATO launched the idea of adopting a second standard small-caliber ammunition. Three competitors were then nominated: one American, another Belgian, and finally the German Heckler & Koch. NATO quickly lost interest in caseless ammunition but the West German Government held on.Le Fusil d'Assaut Allemand G-11 a Munitions sans Étui Yves-Louis Cadiou, Gazette des Armes n°106, pp. 12–15, June 1982 During 1968–1969, the government of West Germany started a feasibility study into a future assault rifle and three contracts were awarded respectively to Diehl, IWKA Mauser and Heckler & Koch. The terms of reference (specifications) were very general, calling for an improved infantry weapon with a better hit probability than any then in existence, yet fulfilling the FINABEL range and rate of fire characteristics. The designers were given a free hand for the methods used, but Heckler & Koch, attempting to obtain improvement, approached the design with radical change in mind.Jane's Infantry Weapons, Jane's Information Group, 2002Die G11 Story. Die Entwicklungsgeschichte einer High-Tech-Waffe, Wolfgang Seel, Journal Verlag Schwend GmbH, 1993, ASIN: B0027WQJAE
From the very beginning, it was obvious the required hit probability could not be achieved with common iron sights. An optical sight was H&K's solution. The Hensoldt AG, having delivered 100,000 optical sights for the G3, cooperated with H&K on developing a small sight with low power magnification which would allow target acquisition with both eyes. However, it was dropped because of the cost. The weapon was to be short, but only 37 cm would have been left for a sightline, too short for a common iron sight. In mid 1968, Hensoldt presented an affordable reflector sight. It was based on an old and nearly forgotten patent, and a modernized model had to be built by a master from the assembly department. On September 30, 1968, Hensoldt was commissioned for a study for further development.
Numerous studies followed in the period between 1970 and 1971. Intensive tests were run by Heckler & Koch and Dynamit Nobel in search of a suitable ammunition. The early sideways ignition design gave way to a tail ignition design. By 1970, studies progressed far enough to allow the construction of an automatic single- and 3-shot burst model but without full-automatic operation. Sometime in 1970, the box magazine was selected. To study the dispersion, a model firing 9×19mm and equipped with the reflexive sight was used. It had a cadence of 2400 rpm. The study supposedly was conducted by a research institute of the Fraunhofer Society (Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft). To determine the precision, a laser was used, fired onto a film during the 3-shot burst. The free-floating barrel design was found to contribute significantly to the precision of the weapon. At the end of September/beginning October 1971, the weapon was fully completed with full automatic fire and chambered for 4.9 mm and fed from the side.
In January 1973, the defense ministries of West Germany and Great Britain agreed on exchanging information on development of infantry weaponry and ammunition. The agreement was designed to benefit both partners equally. West Germany was to work on caseless ammunition while Great Britain would work on optimizing a firearm for 4.85x45 mm ammunition.
Meanwhile, the German Defence Ministry targeted unveiling of the weapon to NATO in 1975 with a field test of the first weapon to begin in 1976. In the summer of 1973, the ministry took on stock to see that none of the competitors could present a war-ready weapon. Diehl's design used separate magazines for projectile and propellant. Mauser offered a three-barrel rifle design. H&K's design with a rotating breech was considered to be promising. Together with the Federal Office of Defense Technology and Procurement (FODTP) (Bundesamt für Wehrtechnik und Beschaffung), H&K's rotating breech was selected for further study and development.
In early November 1973, at a NATO workshop conference in Brussels, West Germany was appointed to develop the second generation (rifleman) rifle. H&K's new weapon was to be presented in sufficient numbers to NATO in April 1977. NATO-wide testing began in 1977 with the goal of having a second smaller caliber weapon alongside the 7.62×51mm NATO round rifle. West Germany wanted to have it ready by then, but the caliber was changed to 4.3 mm, delaying prototype development by months.
In mid 1974, several fully operational Prototype 1 G11s were presented to the Bundeswehr. On June 14, 1974, the German defense ministry charged the FODTP with initiating the development of the weapon. The proof of performance was held on December 18 and 19, 1974. The achieved firing rates were given as 1800 rpm for burst and 400 rpm for full-automatic. H&K was awarded the development contract (worth 20 million DM) on December 23, 1974. The contract required the completion of development by autumn of 1977, including following field tests. Subsequently, H&K contracted Hensoldt with a continuing development contract. Around 1975, the design was disclosed as a German small arm Laid-Open Patent application No. 23 26 525.0 and No. 24 13 615.0.Automatic or semi-automatic small arm patent US4078327, March 14, 1978
In early 1976, doubt about the viability of the reflex sight rose. The contrast requirements in adverse condition and added features like variable brightness and distance settings drove cost up, exceeding that of a proper scope of similar size. On June 11, 1976, it was decided to switch to a scope. On June 15, 1976, the specification for a scope was finalized and the first model presented on August 5/6, 1976. In November 1977, the FODTP changed the specification accordingly. At the end of the contract in the summer of 1978, it was found to satisfy the requirement.
Meanwhile, the caliber was changed to 4.75 mm with Prototype 3. Prototype 4 and Prototype 5 equipped with the scope took part in the preliminary NATO field test in 1977 in Meppen. After the contract with the FODTP ended H&K, Dynamit Nobel and Hensoldt were forced to continue development on their own with their private funds. In 1978, Mauser competed with their own weapon chambered for caliber 4.7 mm in a conventional case design but ultimately lost to the H&K G11. The caseless round was not yet telescoped and appeared "conventional".Gedämpftes Pressen Der Spiegel 19/1982, 1982 Nr. 19, pp. 223–227, May 10, 1982
On 28 October 1980, NATO approved the standardization (STANAG 4172) of 5.56×45mm NATO as the second small caliber cartridge for use within the alliance.Smith, W.H.B.; Ezell, E. C. (1983), Small Arms of the World, 12th Edition, Stackpole Company, Harrisburg PA
Up to 1982, changes were made following the test. The caliber changed to 4.7×21mm for Prototype 6. The conventional nitro-cellulose propellant was replaced by High Ignition Temperatures Propellant (HITP) based on Octogen.Caseless ammunition, especially for assault rifles, machine guns and sniper rifles of the same calibre Siegfried Trost, Patent publication DE3834925 A1, April 19, 1990 The barrel received polygonal rifling. The rifle case received a design by a dedicated designer. This Prototype 13 became the attention of the numerous media and press. It's supposed to be the first version entering the Advanced Combat Rifle (ACR) program.
Meanwhile, development shifted yet again to the new caliber 4.73×33mm (DM11) in a telescoped form. In 1984, the Gesellschaft für hülsenlose Gewehrsysteme (GHGS), founded by H&K GmbH and Dynamit Nobel AG, completed a license agreement for a custom version (worth US$3.8 million)Pulver im Turm Der Spiegel 31/1987, 1987 Nr. 31, pp. 151–152, July 27, 1987 with the U.S. Department of Defense and for the adoption of caseless ammunition with the Bundeswehr and NATO.Versteck dich, wenn sie schießen: Die wahre Geschichte von Samiira, Hayrettin und einem deutschen Gewehr Jürgen Grässlin, Droemersche Verlagsanstalt, p. 399, 2003,
On December 8, 1986, Hensoldt was ready to deliver the final "Zieloptik ZO 1".
The G11 K1 (K for Konfiguration) production model was completed in March 1987. Field test and troop trials began in June with the Bundeswehr in Hammelburg and lasted until January 1989. It achieved a 100% higher Ph than the G3. The final development of the ammunition was completed toward the end of 1988 with the same dimensions as 4 years earlier. In March 1989, the first Operator´s Manual was made for the G11 K1 for the ACR evaluation. By then, work had already started on the G11 K2. On March 3, 1989, the first five ACR units were shipped to the Aberdeen Proving Ground. In May, H&K began to instruct the testers on how to operate the weapon.
In April 1990, the FODTP certified the G11 for use with the Bundeswehr. In May 1990, Tilo Möller, then H&K chief of R&D, presented the G11 to military dignitaries. At the same time, the Cabinet of Germany confirmed questions by the Bundestag about the signing of a contract in early 1990 for the adoption of the G11 and that it is part the budget (Haushalt 1990 EPL 14). If it is adopted, the front line troops would receive it first. Adoption numbers would be guided by yearly planned G3 replacement numbers up to the year 2002.Antwort der Bundesregierung auf die Kleine Anfrage der Abgeordneten Frau Vennegerts und der Fraktion DIE GRÜNEN: Entwicklung und Einsatz neuartiger Gewehrsysteme und hülsenloser Munition(G 11) Deutscher Bundestag, Drucksache 11/7055, May 3, 1990 The volume of a contract for the Bundeswehr alone was to cover 300,000 units worth 2.7 billion DM. The Cabinet of Germany confirmed that 30 million DM were reserved in the 1989 budget and another planned for the 1990 budget.
In April 1990, the ACR program ended with the decision not to adopt any of the ACR rifles because none met the requirement of doubling hit probability. It was not until mid September 1990 that H&K found out about the cancelation of the preproduction contract.
In November 1990, the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE) was signed, which puts limits on the numbers of conventional military equipment in Europe and mandates the destruction of excess weaponry.