Home All Dutch Special Forces to Buy 300 Blackout Caliber Carbines

Dutch Special Forces to Buy 300 Blackout Caliber Carbines

July 6, 2015

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: Dutch SF Boarding Helicopter

The word has come down that the Netherlands SF (Korps Commandotroepen — KCT) is buying 195 300 Blackout carbines and 1.82 million rounds of 300 BLK ammo. I was reticent to post this since I fully expect the 300 BLK mafia to make my life a living hell in constantly having to swat down all the assumptions that will come from this. No, this does not mean 300 BLK is now, or ever will be, a standard NATO service round. The US Army CAG uses 40 S&W Glocks and no where do we see 40 being listed as a standard NATO pistol round. All this means is… a small military with an even smaller boutique unit has decided to buy mission specific, boutique rifles in a boutique caliber for a boutique use.

That is all. It’s interesting. Nothing more.

–Marky

The Netherlands Maritime Special Operations Force (NL-MARSOF) are planning to purchase a new carbine chambered in the non-NATO standard 7.62×35 mm (300 BLK), with a formal tender being launched by the Netherlands’ Defence Material Organisation.

The tender is the first publicly known tender for the purchase of a 7.62×35 mm chambered rifle by any military.

In total, the Dutch naval commandos are looking to buy 195 select-fire carbines and 1.82 million 7.62×35 mm cartridges (1,345,000 ball, 244,000 subsonic, and 231,000 lead free frangible). Suppliers can apply to supply any combination of the small arms and rounds until 27 July.

: Dutch SF Standard Rifle HK416. Standard Shotgun Mossberg 590

NL-MARSOF is the Netherlands Marine Corps’ elite unit, modelled after the British Special Boat Service (SBS), and divided into three squadrons: M Sqd (counter terrorism); C Sqd (sea operations); and T Sqd (training). A Special Operations Forces Support Group (SOFSG) provides logistic support and equipment.

The standard armament for the NL-MARSOF commandos is currently the short-barrelled German H&K HK416 carbine (chambered in the NATO-standard 5.56×45 mm round), which replaced the previously used Diemaco C8A1GD. It is possible to convert the HK416, or other AR-15 based rifles, to fire 7.62×35 mm ammunition by fitting a new upper receiver, barrel, and bolt.