MOSCOW (Sputnik) – According to Thursday's edition of the Suddeutsche Zeitung, the German Federal Office of Economics and Export Control (BAFA), following a decision "taken on political level," suspended consideration of the manufacturer’s application which was filed about two years ago.
The company is seeking tens of millions of euros in compensation because it claims the license delay foiled its plans to produce rifles in Saudi Arabia, as some of the components were to be exported from Germany.
Heckler & Koch is one of the world's leading manufacturers of small arms, according to the company's website. It counts the security forces, police and special forces of the German Federal Armed Forces, NATO and NATO-associated states among its partners.
Heckler & Koch’s G36 is an individual weapon (IW) of many armies and security forces around the world. Since the company started producing the G36 in 1997, it has delivered nearly 180,000 assault rifles to the German armed forces.