Heckler & Koch Delivers 15,000th MG5 to German Armed Forces
The MG5 continues to replace the decades-old MG3 as part of a €25 million contract for over 22,000 machine guns
Photo by Ruediger Hess, Training Support Activity Europe
German small arms manufacturer Heckler & Koch announced this week that it has delivered its 15,000th MG5 machine gun to the German Armed Forces. The MG5 universal machine gun is gradually replacing the MG3, which has been in service for decades with the German Army.
This delivery is part of a contract the company signed in 2013 with the German Army. The agreement has been expanded several times over the years and provides for the supply of up to 22,672 machine guns, with a total contract value of €25 million.
The MG5 is a gas-operated machine gun featuring a locked rotating bolt and a long-stroke gas piston system. It is chambered in 7.62×51 mm NATO. In the standard German Army configuration with a 550 mm barrel, the MG5 weighs approximately 11.6 kg and has an effective firing range of 1,000 meters. The rate of fire can be set to 640, 720, or 800 rounds per minute. A Hensoldt 4×30i telescopic sight is standard, and with night vision attachments, the MG5 is capable of night combat.
Additional features include a foldable, length-adjustable shoulder stock, a height-adjustable bipod, quick-change barrels with a foldable carrying handle, and a distinctive yellow-olive finish.