According to a recent document published by the German popular parliament (Bundestag), the German government has authorized a relaxation of the accuracy requirements for the new MG5 machine gun. Both the original and machine translated versions of the document are embedded below, but first the relevant quote (edited for clarity):

The contract amendment with price reduction is in the framework agreement Q / K2DH /

R6796 (1 amendment agreement and recast) from March 11, 2015 included.

2. What “contract amendment” was exactly (please specify breakdown)?

Subsequent claims have been changed and a corresponding Preisredu-

financing agreed:

Accuracy in single fire:

The mean point of impact may shift by a maximum of 10 cm (previously 5 cm) after a barrel change with a barrel of the same length.

Accuracy in burst:

The mean point of impact may shift by a maximum of 15 cm (previously 10 cm) after a barrel change with a barrel of the same length.

Oddly, the document states that the original, more stringent requirements for the MG5 were agreed upon by both the Bundeswehr and Heckler & Koch; and even more strangely, the document contains an admittance that neither party based this requirement on previous “credible experiences” – i.e., that neither knew what a reasonable accuracy requirement should be, initially.

Thanks to Axel for the tip!