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Germany Heckler & Koch
MG3
A recoil-operated, belt-fed general-purpose machine gun derived from the WWII-era MG42, updated for NATO 7.62×51mm ammunition and adopted as the standard machine gun of the modern Bundeswehr. Known for an exceptionally high rate of fire, it remains in service with numerous NATO and allied forces.
In service since 1968 · 40 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
1,200
m range
1,200
rpm
820
m/s
100
rds
💲 ≈ $8,000 — Approximate export unit price estimate
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
German export-licensed
BAFA licensing with strict end-use review; approvals can be politically constrained.
Channel: Direct commercial / G2G
Fielded & proven
Widely fielded · 40 operators
In service since 1968. Status: active · ~500,000 built.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
Unit cost known; one-shot / small-arms class has no meaningful O&S tail to model.
Interoperability
Derived guidance from public data — export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
- Effective range
Distance at which the weapon reliably hits point targets. Higher extends engagement envelope.
- 1,200 m Top 5% of rifles
- Rate of fire
Rounds per minute (cyclic). Higher increases suppression and hit probability.
- 1,200 rpm Top 2% of rifles
- Muzzle velocity
Projectile speed leaving the barrel. Higher means flatter trajectory and better armor penetration.
- 820 m/s Stronger than 28% of rifles
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
- Main armament
Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type.
- 7.62×51 mm NATO
- Caliber
Bore diameter of the main gun or rifle. Larger throws heavier projectiles; not simply better — ammunition commonality matters.
- 7.6 mm
- Ammunition
Rounds carried (main gun) or standard magazine capacity.
- 100 Top 5% of rifles
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
- Length
Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.
- 1.23 m
- Empty weight
Weight without fuel, ammunition or crew.
- 11 kg
- Crew
Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity.
- 1
- Barrel length
Barrel length — longer improves muzzle velocity and accuracy, shorter improves handling.
- 565 mm
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
- Unit cost
Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper.
- $8,000 Stronger than 24% of rifles
- Units built
Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability.
- 500,000 Stronger than 60% of rifles
- Operator countries
Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.
- 40 Stronger than 82% of rifles
Specifications compiled from public Heckler & Koch and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations — treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
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Tula Arms Plant AEK-971 Frequently asked questions
How many crew does the Heckler & Koch MG3 require? +
The Heckler & Koch MG3 requires a crew of 1.
What is the main armament of the Heckler & Koch MG3? +
The Heckler & Koch MG3's primary weapon is the 7.62×51 mm NATO.
What is the Heckler & Koch MG3 used for? +
The Heckler & Koch MG3 is a rifle & long arms typically used for infantry combat.
How many countries operate the Heckler & Koch MG3? +
The Heckler & Koch MG3 is operated by 40 countries.
How much does the Heckler & Koch MG3 cost? +
The Heckler & Koch MG3 has an approximate unit cost of 8,000 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration — treat this as directional.
