The GMG (''Granatmaschinengewehr'' or "grenade machine gun") is an
automatic
Automatic may refer to:
Music Bands
* Automatic (band), Australian rock band
* Automatic (American band), American rock band
* The Automatic, a Welsh alternative rock band
Albums
* ''Automatic'' (Jack Bruce album), a 1983 electronic rock ...
grenade launcher
A grenade launcher is a weapon that fires a specially-designed large-caliber projectile, often with an explosive, smoke or gas warhead. Today, the term generally refers to a class of dedicated firearms firing unitary grenade cartridges. The mos ...
developed by
Heckler & Koch for the
German Army
The German Army (, "army") is the land component of the armed forces of Germany. The present-day German Army was founded in 1955 as part of the newly formed West German ''Bundeswehr'' together with the ''Marine'' (German Navy) and the ''Luftwaf ...
. It is also often referred to as GMW or GraMaWa (''Granatmaschinenwaffe'').
Design details
The GMG fires
40 mm grenade
40 mm grenade (also styled 40mm grenade) is a generic class-name for grenade launcher ammunition ( subsonic shells) in caliber. The generic name stems from the fact that several countries have developed or adopted grenade launchers in 40 ...
s at a rate of about 340 rounds per minute. It is
belt-fed, 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 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
*
*:
Lithuanian Armed Forces.
*: Used by ''
Pasukan Khas Laut'' (PASKAL) of the
Royal Malaysian Navy
The Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN, ms, Tentera Laut Diraja Malaysia; TLDM; Jawi: ) is the naval arm of the Malaysian Armed Forces. RMN is the main agency responsible for the country's maritime surveillance and defense operations. RMN's area of o ...
.
*
*
*
*:
Wojska Specjalne RP.
*: Used by
Portuguese Army
The Portuguese Army ( pt, Exército Português) is the land component of the Armed Forces of Portugal and is also its largest branch. It is charged with the defence of Portugal, in co-operation with other branches of the Armed Forces. With its ...
,
Portuguese Marine Corps and
National Republican Guard.
*
*: Used by
Sri Lanka Armoured Corps
The Sri Lanka Armoured Corps (SLAC) provides the armour capability of the Sri Lanka Army, with vehicles such as the T-55AM2, and type 80/88 main battle tanks; the BMP infantry fighting vehicle; and the BTR-80, and WZ551 armoured personnel carri ...
on its
Main Battle Tanks & Used by
Sri Lanka Navy on its
Fast Attack Craft
A fast attack craft (FAC) is a small, fast, agile, offensive, often affordable warship armed with anti-ship missiles, gun or torpedoes. FACs are usually operated in close proximity to land as they lack both the seakeeping and all-round defensive ...
s.
*: 44 purchased in 2006 for use in
Afghanistan and
Iraq.
Designated as L134A1.
*: Used by
USSOCOM.
German Army
The German Army (, "army") is the land component of the armed forces of Germany. The present-day German Army was founded in 1955 as part of the newly formed West German ''Bundeswehr'' together with the ''Marine'' (German Navy) and the ''Luftwaf ...
.
Image:MSPO2007-48.jpg, HK GMG on display.
File:Panzermuseum Munster 2010 0637.JPG, GMG German armed reconnaissance vehicle Fennek
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
The Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN, ms, Tentera Laut Diraja Malaysia; TLDM; Jawi: ) is the naval arm of the Malaysian Armed Forces. RMN is the main agency responsible for the country's maritime surveillance and defense operations. RMN's area of o ...
on display.
See also
*
Comparison of automatic grenade launchers
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