#HK121

With the Heckler & Koch MG5, also known as the HK121, the German paratroopers have a modern and powerful support weapon in 7.62x51mm. That’s the main attraction in our Photo Of The Day, but there’s more to enjoy below.

Photo Of The Day – Defensive Combat Shooting from the Panzergrenadier Battalion 122. We look at sergeant candidates in the Panzergrenadier Battalion 122, during their training in group defense. They are using the Maschinengewehr MG5 (HK121) and the standard-issue HK G36. 7,62 NATO and 5,56 NATO in a fine combination, but the G36 is soon in for a replacement.  According to Wikipedia, the unit cost for the MG5 is 16,000 Euros.

German Machine Guns – that is the subject of this Photo Of the Day here at The Firearm Blog.

At Milipol in France Heckler & Koch exhibited an example of the HK416 F and what it looks like in its different configurations, including the kit that each soldier get with their weapon.

It’s time to practice some German again. I haven’t been able to find an English version or any subtitles.

Heckler & Koch, Germany, have been renaming their weapon systems. It’s been going on for a while and I’ve been trying to decipher this ever since I saw some of the new HK firearms at Enforce Tac 2017, Germany.

At Enforce Tac this spring Heckler & Koch Germany displayed the HK237 and HK337 officially for the first time, but there were no details to be had. Now we’re teased with some more technical details.

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 woes continue for famed gunmaker Heckler & Koch. Apparently, the Bundeswehr’s procurement of the new HK121 7.62x51mm machine gun, designated MG5, has been delayed significantly, though the reasons why are vague.  DW.com reports:

H&K’s troubles are mounting, as the German Minister of Defense is now investigating the MG5, the Bundeswehr’s designation for the 7.62mm HK121 machine gun. Spiegel Online reports:

The Royal Danish Army have been running a competition to select a new GPMG/medium 7.62mm machine gun. I was told that all the well known manufacturers of 7.62mm General Purpose Machine Guns entered into the competition, but my source is bound by an NDA and could not tell me exactly who entered. What he could tell me is that the two finalists are the Heckler & Koch HK121 (pictured below) and the US Ordnance M60E6 (pictured above).

Heckler & Koch had their MG4 5.56mm machine gun and their rare/still in development HK121 7.62mm machine gun both in their new Flat Dark Earth color scheme on display at IWA. In the above photo the MG4 is at the top and the HK121 is in the middle.

One of the lessons learn’t during the recent wars in the Middle East is that the 7.62x51mm owns the long distance engagement. The problem with 7.62mm weapons is that they are heavy. The new HK121 is a next-generation GPMG that is designed to be as light weight as possible.