German weapons and equipment during World War II were very advanced, especially the tanks and light weapons that were developed to the extreme at that time. In the current peacetime, Germany has begun to focus on the development of the automobile industry. German brand cars are available everywhere in the world, and they have a good reputation and are loved by the public. Although in peacetime, military and national defense are still important, and modern German weapons and equipment are still are at the leading level and are all independently developed.
In this issue, we will take stock of the 20 main weapons of the modern German Army , which are divided into two categories: individual light weapons and heavy equipment.
Individual light weapons
Walter P99 pistol
P99 pistol was launched by Walter in Germany in 1997. The sleeve is made of strong and highly wear-resistant steel, and the base of the sleeve is made of polymer and glass fiber materials. The gun body is light and strong as a whole. The grip part has a strong ergonomic design. It is very comfortable to hold and the shooting operation is more flexible. There is also an interface at the base of the sleeve, which can be used to install infrared laser pointers, tactical Flashlights, etc. Currently, the Walter P99 pistol is the standard equipment of the German infantry. The
P99 pistol fires ×19mm Parabellum pistol ammunition, with a magazine capacity of 12 rounds and an effective range of 50 meters. The has a total gun length of 165 mm, a barrel length of 93 mm, and an empty gun weight of 0.56 kg.
HK MP5 submachine gun
MP5 is the king of submachine guns in the world. It was developed by Heikohler-Koch of Germany in the mid-1950s. From the 1960s to the present, it is still active among special forces and anti-terrorism forces. MP5 has excellent performance, strong reliability, and durability. In half a century, MP5 has become a large family, including more than 20 different models. The MP5 submachine gun is also very popular among modern German special forces.
MP5 submachine gun fires ×19mm Parabellum pistol bullets, with an effective range of 150 meters, a magazine capacity of 30 rounds, a muzzle velocity of 400 meters per second, and a theoretical rate of fire of 800 rounds per minute. In terms of size, each model is different.
HK MP7 individual self-defense weapon ( micro submachine gun )
MP7 is an individual self-defense weapon launched by Heikohler-Koch of Germany, referred to as PDW. It was officially unveiled in the late 1990s and began to be equipped with the German army and exported in the early 21st century. The individual self-defense weapon is actually a miniature submachine gun that fires special ammunition. It is lighter in weight and more compact in size. It is generally equipped for use by non-frontline personnel, such as commanders, tank drivers, guards, guards, etc. The MP7 is one of the most advanced individual self-defense weapons. The entire gun uses a large amount of polymer and has a modular design. It can install various tactical accessories on the gun body, including silencers, infrared laser designators, tactical flashlights, and holograms. Type sights, etc., with strong user-friendly design, MP7 is also loved by major special forces around the world.
MP7 fires 4.6×30mm ammunition, which can be fed by 20-round or 40-round magazines. The effective range is 200 meters, the theoretical rate of fire is 900~1000 rounds per minute, the muzzle velocity is 720 meters per second, and the stock length is 380 meters mm, the unfolded stock length is 590 mm, the barrel length is 180 mm, and the empty gun weight is 1.6 kg.
HK G36 assault rifle
G36 is the modern third-generation assault rifle of the German army. It was also designed by Heikohler-Koch and began to be equipped in the late 1990s. Most of the G36 gun body is made of black engineering plastic . It is not only light weight, but also easy to carry. The butt is simple and foldable. Whether it is fighting in a car or indoor close combat, the G36 is highly practical. Later, G36 also derived the G36C type, G36K type, the civilian version SL8 sports rifle , as well as the MG36 squad machine gun and G36 semi-automatic sniper rifle, etc., especially the G36C type, which was specially designed for special operations. The gun body is more compact and has Modular design, the top of the receiver lowers the tall baseline, removes the default sight, and also comes with a Picatinny tactical rail, which can install the required accessories according to the combat situation.
G36 launches 5.56×45mm NATO universal small-caliber ammunition, which is fed by 30-round plastic transparent magazines. The muzzle velocity is 920 meters per second, the theoretical rate of fire is 750 rounds per minute, and the effective range is 400 meters. The butt is retracted. The length is 758 mm, the length of the unfolded stock is 998 mm, and the weight of the empty gun is 3.63 kg.
HK MG4 squad machine gun
MG4, also called MG43, is a new generation of squad light machine gun used by modern German army infantry squads. In terms of firing principle and bolt mechanism, it is similar to Belgium 's FN MIMIM, but the practicality of MG4 It is stronger, has a modular design, and comes with Picatinny tactical rails. Night vision scopes or thermal imaging scopes can be installed during combat. The grip, butt, handguard, etc. are all made of engineering plastics.
MG4 squad machine gun fires 5.56×45mm NATO general small-caliber ammunition, but uses a 100-round bullet chain or 250-round ammunition box to feed the ammunition. The effective range is 1,000 meters. The folded length of the butt is 835 mm, and the unfolded length of the butt is 1,030 mm. , the barrel length is 90 mm, and the empty gun weight is 7.9 kg.
HK MG5 general machine gun
MG5 is currently the latest general machine gun of the German Army, numbered HK121. Compared with the previous generation MG3 general-purpose machine gun, the MG5 is lighter. The main body of the gun is made of polymer. It is light in weight and easy to carry. It is also shorter in size and is more suitable for use by infantry or special forces. MG5 is also divided into four models: MG5 universal, MG5A1, MG5A2 and MG5S, which are used in different fields. At the same time, the appearance of the MG5 universal machine gun is also full of futuristic technology.
MG5 general-purpose machine gun fires 7.62×51mm NATO universal ammunition, which can be fed by 100-round ammunition belts or 200-round ammunition boxes. The theoretical rate of fire is 800 rounds per minute, the maximum range is 1500 meters, the total gun length is 1.16 meters, and the barrel length 550 mm, the total gun weight is 10.8 kg.
R93 sniper rifle
R93 is a high-precision tactical sniper rifle used by the modern German army and police. Originally, the R93 was just a civilian shotgun. It was later improved to derive sports rifles and military sniper rifles. It has a unique appearance and looks very mechanical. The outside of the gun body is made of a large amount of engineering plastics. It can place a bipod during combat and a support bracket at the end of the butt. The top of the receiver is usually equipped with 4~16×50mm Horus white light sight. Its unique feature is that although it seems to use a rotating rear-pull bolt action, it actually eliminates the rotation step and simply pulls the bolt backward to load the gun.
R93 sniper rifle fires 7.62×51mm full-power ammunition, with a magazine capacity of 5 rounds, an effective range of 1500 meters, an empty gun weight of 5.4kg, a barrel length of 600mm, and a full gun length of 1.1 meters.
AG36 grenade launcher
AG36 is a rifle grenade launcher currently used by German infantry. It is generally installed under the G36 assault rifle. It can also be disassembled and used as an independent grenade launcher. can launch 40×46 mm grenade , Ammunition types also include smoke screen bombs , conventional grenades, tear gas bombs, personnel anti-personnel bombs, etc., with a maximum range of 400 meters.
The Iron Fist 3 rocket launcher
The Iron Fist 3 was developed in the mid-1970s and equipped with German infantry squads in the early 1990s. The Tekken 3 rocket launcher can be used to destroy tanks, armored vehicles , bunkers, and construction fortifications. Caliber 90 mm, rocket launcher total length 1200 mm, combat weight 5.2 kg, muzzle velocity 243 meters per second, ammunition weight 3.9 kg, effective range 400 meters, can penetrate 700 mm thick armor or 1.6 meter thick concrete fortifications . Warhead types also include armor-breaking bullets , anti-personnel armor-breaking bullets, smoke bombs, armor-breaking bullets , and infrared interference bombs.
Heavy equipment
"Mole" airborne combat vehicle
"Mole" is a multi-purpose light armored combat vehicle currently in service in the German army. It is small in size and light in weight. It can be deployed by transport aircraft parachute deployment. Although it is small, its body is made of Modular design can install various weapons and equipment, and can be used as a command vehicle, reconnaissance vehicle, air defense vehicle, support vehicle, anti-tank vehicle, etc.
standard cannon type combat weight .6 tons, the crew is 2~3 people, the length of the vehicle is 3.3 meters, the width is 1.8 meters, the height is 1.75 meters. It is equipped with an 85 kilowatt diesel engine, the fastest The traveling speed is 75 kilometers per hour. The weapon is generally equipped with a 20mm machine gun and a 7.62mm machine gun . As for armor protection, it can withstand 12.7mm bullets at most.
Ampv light armored vehicle
Ampv is the latest armored assault vehicle equipped by the German army. Its positioning is like the US military's Humvee tank, which can be universal and multi-purpose. The cabin can accommodate 5 members, and a remote-controlled weapon station is installed on the top of the front of the vehicle, which can carry a 7.62 mm machine gun or a 40 mm grenade launcher . Soldiers can control it using a monitor and joystick in the vehicle.
The tires and windows are all bulletproof, the body can withstand attacks from 7.62mm ammunition, and the chassis also adopts a V-shaped design, which can withstand attacks from infantry mines or small explosives. The body length is 5.66 meters, the width is 2.3 meters, and the height is 2.18 meters. The power system is equipped with a 3.2-liter 6-cylinder in-line diesel engine with a maximum power of 200 kilowatts and a maximum driving speed of 110 kilometers per hour.
"Wild Dog" type 2 multi-purpose armored vehicle
"Wild Dog" series of armored vehicles entered service with the German Army in the early 21st century. It is an armored mine-protected vehicle with multi-purpose capabilities. "Wild Dog 2" is capable of the task. It can be used for reconnaissance missions, fire support missions, infantry transport missions, etc., and there are other derivative models later, such as tractor models, combat vehicle trailer models, battlefield ambulance models, battlefield communications models and other special vehicles.
There is a powerful remote-controlled weapon station on the top of the body, which can carry 12.7mm, 7.62mm, 5.56mm machine guns, 40mm grenade launchers, anti-tank rocket launchers , etc. The power system is equipped with a Mercedes-Benz OM924LA diesel engine with a maximum power of 177 kilowatts, a maximum driving speed of 105 kilometers per hour, a total combat weight of 11.9 tons, a body length of 6.08 meters, a width of 2.3 meters, and a height of 2.45 meters. The body can withstand 12.7mm bullets, and the chassis can also withstand explosive attacks. In addition to its strong protection capabilities, the car is also equipped with an air-conditioning system, a reversing camera system, an GPS navigation system, and an advanced radio system.
"Boxer Dog" wheeled infantry fighting vehicle
It is a "modular" wheeled armored vehicle currently in service with the German Army. The cockpit, power cabin and chassis are integrated. The rear cabin can be changed according to different mission modes, for example, it can be transformed into self-propelled howitzer , infantry fighting vehicle, armored command vehicle , field ambulance, material supply vehicle, and transport vehicle, etc. In short, the multi-purpose capability is very powerful.
Combat type of "Boxer Dog", the body is equipped with a turret. The main weapon is a "Mauser" MK30-2 30mm cannon, and a 7.62mm parallel machine gun. An additional remote-controlled weapon station is installed on the top of the turret. , can place a 12.7 mm machine gun, or a 40 mm grenade launcher, and also comes with a smoke grenade launcher. There are also some models. The turret is also equipped with the active defense system and the "Spike" LR-2 multi-purpose anti-tank missile. The total combat weight of this type of tank is 30 tons. The body length is 7.93 meters, the width is 2.99 meters, and the height is 2.37 meters. The power unit is a 530 kilowatt diesel engine produced by MTU. The maximum road speed can reach 103 kilometers per hour.
"Puma" tracked infantry fighting vehicle
"Puma" infantry fighting vehicle was developed from 2002 to 2014 and gradually equipped with the German Army in 2015 to replace the previous generation of old "Weasel" infantry Chariot .The shape of the "Puma" tank is more technological, its appearance has also been greatly improved, it is more protective, it has more electronic information equipment inside, it is also equipped with an unmanned remote-controlled turret, and its armor is also relatively modular. It can be configured in advance according to different combat mission situations.
The main weapon is equipped with MK30ABM 30mm machine guns. The auxiliary weapon is an MG4 5.56mm machine gun. It can also carry additional "Spike" anti-tank missiles . The power system is an MT-902V-10 diesel engine with a maximum power of 800 kilowatts, a maximum highway speed of 70 kilometers per hour, an off-road speed of 30 kilometers per hour, a body length of 7.4 meters, a width of 3.43 meters, and a height of 3.05 meters. The team members are 3 people, the cabin can accommodate 6 infantrymen, the body weight is 29.4 tons, and the maximum armor protection combat weight is 43 tons.
"Cheetah" self-propelled anti-aircraft gun
"Cheetah" self-propelled anti-aircraft gun was equipped with the German Army in the mid-1970s. It was improved on the basis of the Leopard 1 tank chassis and installed a turret with an fire control system. , radar system and twin 35mm anti-aircraft guns.
The combat weight of the body is 6.3 tons. The power system is equipped with an MTU 10-cylinder multi-fuel supercharged diesel engine with a maximum power of 830 horsepower. The fastest traveling speed is 65 kilometers per hour. The effective range of the artillery is 4,000 meters and the anti-aircraft range is 3,000 meters. The system Response time is 6~8 seconds. Although it is a product of the 1970s, the "Cheetah" is still one of the most advanced self-propelled anti-aircraft guns in the world.
Leopard 2A6 main battle tank
Leopard 2A6 is undoubtedly the most advanced main battle tank in the world. It is the most advanced in terms of armor protection, firepower, and electronic information equipment, and its appearance is also the most attractive. The Leopard 2 series tanks are not only equipped by the German Army, but also developed regions such as Europe and North America are also equipped with other models of Leopard 2 main battle tanks.
Its power system is an MB873Ka-501 model produced by MTU, a 4-stroke 2-cylinder V-type 90-degree angle water-cooled pre-combustion supercharged intercooled diesel engine with a maximum power of 1,500 horsepower and a maximum driving speed of 72 kilometers per hour. , cross-country speed is 55 kilometers per hour. The main weapon is a 44 times caliber 120mm smoothbore cannon , the auxiliary weapon is a 7.62mm machine gun, and the turret can also install an additional anti-aircraft machine gun . The crew consists of four people, including the commander, driver, gunner and loader, and the total combat weight is 55.15 tons.
HX-3 wheeled truck gun
HX-3 truck gun was developed by Germany's Rheinmetall and MAN in 2012. It installs a 155mm gun with a 52 times caliber on the MAN 10x0RMMV multi-purpose truck, which is a combination It became the truck cannon .
HX-3's automation system is very complete. There is an automatic loader inside the turret, and the artillery can fight from a distance through computer remote control. The maximum range of the artillery is 30 kilometers, and the range of rocket extended-range projectiles is 50 kilometers. The truck also comes with adaptive cruise system, and emergency assist system. The power part is equipped with a 680-horsepower D2868 turbodiesel engine, with a maximum traveling speed of 88 kilometers per hour and a total combat weight of 27 tons.
"Agam" self-propelled artillery system
"Agam" self-propelled artillery consists of three parts. It adopts the crawler chassis of MARS self-propelled rocket launcher and the turret of "Hamburg" frigate. The artillery is 52 times the caliber of Rheinmetall The 155mm howitzer , compared to the Pzh2000, has a transport weight of only 7 tons and can be delivered using the strategic transport aircraft .
The turret has a built-in automatic loader and can also rotate, making it more flexible than the Pzh2000. The body length is 9.5 meters, the height is 3.07 meters, and the width is 2.98 meters. It has a range of 40 kilometers for conventional grenades and 60 kilometers for extended range rockets. The total combat weight is 30 tons.
Pzh2000 self-propelled howitzer
Pzh2000 was developed by Germany's Rheinmetall in 1986 and equipped with the German Army's mechanized forces in 1998.The Pzh2000 has a high degree of informatization and automation. The calculation, ranging, and loading of ammunition can all be completed non-manually, thus increasing combat efficiency and speed.
The interior of the car is also fire-proof, nuclear-proof, and chemical-proof. There is also a complete protection cabin inside to prevent explosions and flames when bullets hit the ammunition. The outside of the car can also withstand attacks from 14.5 mm armor-piercing projectiles or grenades . Pzh2000 actually uses the chassis of the Leopard 1A5 tank. The power system is an MTU881 Ka500V 8-cylinder diesel engine, with a maximum traveling speed of 60 kilometers per hour. The main weapon is a 155mm howitzer with a power of 52 times, which can launch various common NATO artillery shells, such as dispersion sub-submunition , DM-105 smoke grenades, DM-106 illumination bombs, radio interference bombs, etc. It is also equipped with DM72 modular The advancement of the ammunition system can greatly increase the rate of fire, and the combat weight of the entire vehicle has reached 55 tons.
"Tiger" armed helicopter
"Tiger" armed helicopter, also known as "Europe's No. 1 armed helicopter", was jointly developed by Germany and France. In addition to being used by the German Army, France and other parts of Europe are also equipped with a certain number of them. "Tiger" style. It can perform a variety of combat missions, such as reconnaissance, fire strike, surveillance, hunting, and anti-armor. Although it is not as famous as the Apache AH-64, the "Tiger" electronic information equipment is ahead of the Apache . After all, it is a product of the early 21st century.
A Kiat M781 30mm cannon is installed under the front of the "Tiger" armed helicopter. The maximum rate of fire is 720 rounds per minute. A 22-unit SNEB 68mm rocket can be mounted on both sides. missile launcher nest, or twin Mistral air-to-air missile launchers. The power unit is two MTR-390 turbine engines, each with a maximum power of 1171 horsepower and a maximum flight speed of 230 kilometers per hour. There is also a certain amount of armor protection on the belly of the aircraft body, which can withstand attacks from 12.7 mm ammunition.
So in this issue, we will review the 20 main equipment of the modern German Army here. If you have anything else you want to add or have different ideas, please express it in the comments. If you want to know more, please remember to pay attention. I will continue to update you in the next issue.
