The GMG (''Granatmaschinengewehr'' or "grenade machine gun") is an
automatic grenade launcher developed by
Heckler & Koch
Heckler & Koch GmbH (HK; ) is a German defense manufacturing company that manufactures handguns, rifles, submachine guns, and grenade launchers. The company is located in Oberndorf am Neckar in the German state of Baden-Württemberg, and also ...
for the
German Army. It is also often referred to as GMW or GraMaWa (''Granatmaschinenwaffe'').
Design details
The GMG fires
40 mm grenades at a rate of about 340 rounds per minute. It is
belt-fed
upright=1.35, An M60 machine gun belt loaded with 7.62×51mm NATO cartridges, aboard a U.S. Navy">7.62×51mm_NATO.html" ;"title="M60 machine gun belt loaded with 7.62×51mm NATO">M60 machine gun belt loaded with 7.62×51mm NATO cartridges, aboar ...
, and can be loaded from either side, making it easy to mount on most platforms. With a variety of day and night sights available, the GMG can be used for most medium range infantry support situations.
The weapon is 1.09 m long and has a 415 mm rifled barrel; the ammunition box has dimensions of 470 × 160 × 250 mm. The gun cycles on a recoil-operated blow-back basis. It weighs 29 kg; the tripod is an additional 11 kg.
Testing and operation
The HK GMG was tested in the
Yuma desert in
Arizona
Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...
in 1997 in order to compete for future United States contracts.
Users
*: 304 ordered. Designated as the C16 Close Area Suppression Weapon (CASW) and licence-built by
Rheinmetall Defence Canada.
* Locally known as 40 KRKK 2005
*
[Jones, Richard D. Jane's Infantry Weapons 2009/2010. Jane's Information Group; 35 edition (27 January 2009). .]
*
*:
Irish Army
The Irish Army, known simply as the Army ( ga, an tArm), is the land component of the Defence Forces of Ireland.The Defence Forces are made up of the Permanent Defence Forces – the standing branches – and the Reserve Defence Forces. The A ...
*
*:
Lithuanian Armed Forces
The Lithuanian Armed Forces () are the military of Lithuania. The Lithuanian Armed Forces consist of the Lithuanian Land Forces, the Lithuanian Naval Force and the Lithuanian Air Force. In wartime, the Lithuanian State Border Guard Service ( ...
.
*: Used by ''
Pasukan Khas Laut'' (PASKAL) of the
Royal Malaysian Navy.
*
*
*
*:
Wojska Specjalne RP.
*: Used by
Portuguese Army,
Portuguese Marine Corps
The Portuguese Marine Corps ( pt, Corpo de Fuzileiros, meaning literally "Corps of Fusiliers") constitutes the Elite Commando Raid Force and Special Operations branch of the Portuguese Navy . It has roles similar to the ones of the USMC Reconnais ...
and
National Republican Guard.
*
*: Used by
Sri Lanka Armoured Corps on its
Main Battle Tank
A main battle tank (MBT), also known as a battle tank or universal tank, is a tank that fills the role of armor-protected direct fire and maneuver in many modern armies. Cold War-era development of more powerful engines, better suspension sys ...
s & Used by
Sri Lanka Navy
ta, இலங்கை கடற்படை
, image = Sri Lanka Naval Seal.png
, image_size = 180px
, caption = Emblem of Sri Lanka Navy
, dates =
, c ...
on its
Fast Attack Crafts.
*: 44 purchased in 2006 for use in
Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...
and
Iraq
Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to the north, Iran to the east, the Persian Gulf and K ...
.
Designated as L134A1.
*: Used by
USSOCOM
The United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM or SOCOM) is the unified combatant command charged with overseeing the various special operations component commands of the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and Air Force of the United States Ar ...
.
Fennek
The Fennek, named after the fennec (a species of small desert fox), or LGS Fennek, with LGS being short for ''Leichter Gepanzerter Spähwagen'' in German (Light Armoured Reconnaissance Vehicle), is a four-wheeled armed reconnaissance vehicle p ...
File:Lippujuhlanpäivän paraati 2012 09.JPG, Manned GMG in Finnish service.
File:Gepanzertes Transportkraftfahrzeug (GTK) Boxer - Waffe.jpg, GMG remotely operated on board a GTK Boxer
File:H&K GMG Automatic Grenade launcher of Royal Malaysian Navy on display.JPG, GMW/GMG of the Royal Malaysian Navy on display.
See also
*
Comparison of automatic grenade launchers An automatic grenade launcher (AGL) or grenade machine gun is a grenade launcher that is capable of fully automatic fire, and is typically loaded with either an ammunition belt or magazine.
These weapons are often mounted on vehicles or helicopte ...
Notes
External links
Official pageHKProThe 40 mm GMG
{{DEFAULTSORT:Heckler and Koch GMG
API blowback firearms
Automatic grenade launchers
40×53mm grenade launchers
Post–Cold War weapons of Germany
GMG
Military equipment introduced in the 1990s