HK G36

G36
general information
Military designation:	G36
Country of operation:	see user states
Developer / Manufacturer:	Heckler
Manufacturer country:	see licensee
Production time:	since 1997
Model variants:	see model variants
Weapon Category:	Assault rifle
Technical specifications
Caliber :	5.56 × 45 mm NATO
Possible magazine fillings :	Cam magazine : 10, 20 or 30 cartridges Drum magazine : 100 cartridges
Ammunition supply :	Cam magazine, drum magazine
Cadence :	750 rounds / min
Fire types:	Continuous fire , bursts of fire , single fire
Number of trains :	6th
Twist :	right
Visor :	Reflex sight , triple rifle scope
Mounting system:	Picatinny rail
Closure :	Turret lock
Charging principle:	Gas pressure charger
Lists on the subject

The G36 assault rifle is the orderly rifle of the German Bundeswehr and the successor to the G3 rifle , which was also developed and produced by Heckler & Koch . The main components of the G36 are made of fiberglass-reinforced plastic with stainless steel inserts. This makes the weapon relatively light. During development, the rifle was called the HK50 .

history

Development of the G11

→ Main article : HK G11

HK CAWS

HK G11

In 1948, the US Army established the Civil Operations Research Office (ORO) to do operations research like the UK . Over 3 million battle reports from the First and Second World Wars were analyzed. The conclusion from this was that most fighting takes place at close range. In a war of movement , combat teams from both sides often come together surprisingly, and the team with the greatest firepower usually emerged victorious. They also found that the likelihood of a combat hit is highly dependent on luck and chance. Accurate aiming made little difference as the target usually did not stand still or was in cover. The number of wounded in combat was roughly proportional to the number of bullets fired, regardless of the caliber. Other studies of the behavior of US soldiers showed that 2/3 had never fired their weapon in combat. In contrast, soldiers with automatic weapons such as submachine guns and rifles had fired disproportionately often. This led to the following conclusions:

1. The soldiers should be equipped with a rapid fire weapon.
2. The soldiers should take as much ammunition as possible, this required a rifle and ammunition that was as light as possible.

Similar studies took place in Germany at the same time. In the 1960s, the Federal Ministry of Defense came to the conclusion that the HK G3 , which can be traced back to the Wehrmacht's 45 assault rifle , had only a negligible advantage over other rifles. The Battelle Institute in Frankfurt was therefore commissioned in the 1960s to study how the probability of being hit by handguns could be increased. Two possible methods were postulated:

1. By firing a large number of projectiles at the same time, as with a shotgun . The disadvantages are the high recoil, the limited range and the poor penetration power. The Close Assault Weapon System (CAWS) developed by Heckler & Koch for the US Army was therefore unsuccessful.
2. The weapon fires the projectiles of a 3-shot burst very quickly one after the other, so that the recoil is not felt by the shooter until after the third shot. Otherwise the weapon will warp, which has a negative effect on the probability of the second and third shot being hit.

This last approach was chosen for the development of the HK G11 . The first prototypes presented in October 1971 still used caseless ammunition in caliber 4.9 mm and a side ammunition feed . However, the two systems proved the fundamental feasibility of the required features. By 1989, when the final prototype was manufactured, the external appearance of the weapon was changed several times and the use of different materials for the housing was tested. This last version was called the G11 K2. During this time the G11 went through several comparative tests of different nations; the Bundeswehr tested 27 copies at various military schools. The armed forces certified the weapon as being suitable for use by troops in 1990, but the reunification of Germany had already made it clear that the weapon would not be introduced into the armed forces. Up to that point in time, over DM 90 million in taxpayers' money had flowed into the project since 1976 . On June 25, 1993, the Ministry of Defense finally confirmed that the G11 will not be procured for the Bundeswehr.

HK36 and HK50

German soldiers with G36 in Bosnia

Even during the development of the G11, Heckler & Koch was working on other systems: the troops in the "second row" were to be equipped with the cheaper G41 , while the G11 would have been reserved for the front-line units. The weapon was a move supported roller shutter equipped and should 5.56 × 45 mm NATO round of M16 - magazines use up. A more advanced project was tackled in the 1970s with the HK36, which was outwardly very similar to the later G36.

The HK36 initially used newly developed, conventional 4.6 × 36 mm CETME ammunition with a projectile weight of 3.5 grams and a muzzle velocity of 780 m / s. Due to the low recoil ammunition could a cadence of 1100 income realized per minute. In order to improve the penetration performance against hard targets, the projectiles had a core made of tungsten carbide . The movably supported roller lock was also retained here. Due to the generous use of plastics, the weight of the weapon was very low at 2.9 kg, despite its length of 890 mm. The external appearance was almost identical to that of the later G36E: Here, too, the sighting device was integrated in the handle, and the basic shape of the fore-end was retained. The weapon was supposed to take part in the US Army's Advanced Combat Rifle (ACR) program, but in 1976 Heckler & Koch decided to concentrate entirely on the G11, also for economic reasons.

When the G11 program was stopped after the end of the Cold War, the German army reformulated the requirements for a G3 successor in 1992. A rifle that was already on the market should now be obtained. Heckler & Koch then developed the HK50 gas pressure charger in the 5.56 × 45 mm NATO caliber. The Bundeswehr tested the Steyr AUG and the HK50 from Heckler & Koch in a troop test in the rifle and light machine gun variants, from which the HK50 emerged as the winner. On May 8, 1995, the introduction permit was signed, and on December 3, 1997, the infantry school Hammelburg officially handed over to the army under the designation G36 . The introduction of the light machine gun 36 (lMG36) was dispensed with, as it deviated only marginally from the performance of the rifle variant. Instead, the bipod and the drum magazine were purchased as accessories for the G36 so that the rifle could be used as a support weapon .

Further developments

→ Main article : HK XM8

XM8 before the design change

The technology of the G36 was also incorporated into other weapon developments: The kinetic group of the HK XM29 was based on the G36C / K. However, the XM29 did not meet the requirements of the US military in terms of weight and lethality, which is why the project was divided into the HK XM8 assault rifle and the HK XM25 25 mm grenade weapon . The G36K was used as a basis and adapted to the requirements of the US Army in a few months. However, the US Army project manager at the time was of the opinion that the weapon was too similar to the G36 and that there was no way of convincing Congress to buy a German weapon. As a result, the slide, magazine and trigger group were adopted from the G36 and a new housing was designed. The differences remained marginal: a change was made to a polygonal run , and to reduce weight, the bolt carrier now moved directly on the plastic of the housing instead of on steel rails. The separate components of the handle and magazine slot in the G36 were combined to form a lower housing part, and instead of Picatinny rails , a new mounting system for accessories was postulated with the Picatinny Combat Attachment Points (PCAP) . Despite the design change, further development was stopped in November 2005.

Since the Insight Tech Gear ISM IR reflex sight of the XM8 also provided the shooter with a daylight and IR laser, the Bundeswehr procured another aiming aid with the same capabilities and an additional white light headlight with the LLM01 laser light module . Since the visors (especially the reflex visor) can fog up and be easily soiled or damaged in higher humidity, an RSA-S Zeiss reflex visor is introduced for the G36A2, which is mounted on a Picatinny rail and can therefore be easily removed. The G36K version is being upgraded by the Bundeswehr to the G36KA1 and G36KA2 versions. The A1 is equipped with a Picatinny rail like the G36C, with an EOTech  Holosight 551 or Holosight 552 and with a RIS system in exchange for the normal forend. The G36KA2 is equipped like the G36K, but it has an EOTech Holosight 551 instead of the HKV-typical reflex sight. Compared to the RSA-S, the EOTech has a larger viewing window, which improves target acquisition in close combat.

G36K of the Lithuanian Armed Forces

Export versions of the model G36K, as used by the Latvian or Lithuanian armed forces , were already delivered with Picatinny rails on the forend. Outside of the shoulder rest and flash hider , these weapons are almost identical to the original XM8 design. The XM8 dispensed with a foldable shoulder rest; In return, this could be adjusted in length. For cost reasons, early prototypes were equipped with a beak-shaped flash hider.

overview

The following table gives an overview of the weapons development by Heckler & Koch, for comparison the M16A2 from Colt is also listed. The total mass of the weapon and ammunition is around 7.35 kg in all cases. The advantage of the G36 over the G3 is clearly evident: 140% more ammunition can be carried per shooter with the same weight. The difference to the HK XM8 is only marginal - especially when the shorter barrel length is taken into account. The G36K already has a weight of 3.3 kg (empty) and has a telescopic sight with three times magnification integrated in the handle.

	HK G3A3	Colt M16A2	HK G11	HK G36	HK XM8
Weight (empty)	4.38 kg	3.77 kg	3.8 kg	3.63 kg	2.7 kg
Aiming aids (standard)	open sights	open sights	Single rifle scope	Reflex sight triple rifle scope	Reflex sight laser aiming aid (optical / IR)
caliber	7.62 × 51 mm NATO	5.56 × 45 mm NATO	4.73 x 33 mm	5.56 × 45 mm NATO	5.56 × 45 mm NATO
Magazine filling	20th	30th	45 (15)	30th	30th
Number of magazines	1 + 4	1 + 7	2 + 28	1 + 7	1 + 9
Ammunition per shooter	100	240	510	240	300
↑ a b 28 reloading modules with 15 cartridges each. ↑ Weight of magazine with 30 cartridges: 483 g. ↑ Uses magazines from the G36.

technology

construction

Lithuanian and Latvian soldiers during the "Balts Will" exercise

G36K with two stacked magazines ( jungle style )

G36 with the shoulder rest folded down (Kosovo, 2016)

The G36 is a shooting, indirect gas pressure loader with a rotating head lock . To reduce weight, all components that are not directly connected to the fire are made of carbon fiber reinforced plastic . For cost reasons, this is with short carbon fiber sections mixed polyamide 6.6 . The fiber content reaches about 33%. The components are manufactured using the injection molding process . The metal parts are all cast or forged from corrosion-resistant steel. Some components such as the bolt carrier are mechanically reworked. The central element of the weapon is the pipe bed: the part of the housing that holds the pipe. The tube holder is made of steel and is baked into the plastic housing together with the guide rails of the bolt carrier. The cold-hammered and hard-chrome-plated barrel of the weapon is equipped with six fields and rifles, the rifle length is 178 mm. It is fixed in the tube holder with a nut. The trigger group can be operated with both hands and is labeled with letters: "S" for safe, "E" for single shot and "F" for burst of fire. On customer request, pictogram labeling and a 2-shot burst are also possible. The weapon can also be used with the shoulder rest folded down.

The repeating mechanism of the weapon was derived from the Armalite AR-18 and works as follows: After the shot has been fired, the combustion gases are directed through a hole in the front part of the barrel into the gas outlet on the gas piston. The gas piston is connected to a drive rod that moves about 6 mm backwards and thus transmits an impulse to the bolt carrier. The drive rod then moves forward again, driven by its own spring. The whole mechanism is self-regulating and there is no control valve. The bolt carrier then moves backwards and presses the bolt head's control bolt down via its control cam. This forces the bolt head to rotate slightly so that the six locking lugs are released and the bolt unlocks. The closure continues rearwardly and pulls with the extractor , the empty cartridge case from the cartridge chamber of the barrel. The cartridge case is then ejected to the right by the ejector . At the rear end of the ejection window there is a sleeve deflector that deflects the sleeves slightly forward. The weapon can therefore also be fired from the left shoulder without the shooter being injured or impaired by the ejected cartridge cases. The sleeve deflector also serves to lock the folded shoulder rest in place. The closure, which continues to return, tensions the closing spring and presses the hammer down into its latching position. After the rest of the return energy of the lock has been consumed by the lock buffer at the end of the return path, the movement is reversed. The recoil spring pushes the bolt carrier back into its starting position, with a new cartridge being fed from the magazine into the chamber through the advance. The bolt carrier turns the bolt head back into the locking position via its control bolt.

The bolt carrier is the most important innovation compared to the AR-18 and is responsible for the well-known loading of the weapon. The bolt carrier has an extended top side with a loading lever at the tip that can be swiveled sideways by ± 90 °. In the normal state, it points forward and is held in this position by its spring. For loading through, it can be swiveled out to the side in order to pull the bolt carrier backwards. By pushing the loading lever that can be fixed in a lateral position, to guide the bolt carrier forward and support the closing and locking process manually ( engl. Forward assist ). In contrast to the AR-18, the lock of the G36 uses only one spring. As the bolt carrier is flush with the housing, there is no need for an ejection flap. When the magazine is empty, the bolt automatically stops in the open position thanks to the bolt catch . After removing the empty magazine by pressing the magazine holder and inserting a new magazine, the lock can be released by pulling back over the catching tunnel so that it snaps forward and the weapon is ready for use. When repeating without an empty magazine, the catch in the handle must be pressed once to keep the slide in the open position.

The 30-round magazines are made of transparent plastic and should also be used in the XM8. The plastic construction not only allows the fill level to be read, the design also saves weight and costs. It is possible to put several magazines together to speed up the reloading process ( jungle style ). The G36 can also hold 100-round Beta-C drum magazines , but is otherwise not STANAG- compatible. STANAG magazines can be used with an adapter or by exchanging the corresponding magazine slot.

Aiming aids

Main battle sight

Reticle optical sight
( here click for description)

G36A1 with LLM01 in side view

The G36 has a dual main combat sight (HKV), consisting of a reflex sight and a telescopic sight . The LLM01 laser light module was also purchased later .

In the upper reflex sight, which is also known as a collimator sight, there is a light-collecting screw made of glass fiber, which creates a red luminous point that covers about 25 cm of the target at a distance of 100 m. The light point can be seen in daylight without the battery connected. At night or with restricted visibility, the light point can be increased by connecting the battery. There is a slide above the reflex sight with which the light opening can be closed. The brightness of the red dot generated in this way automatically adapts to the light conditions via a photo sensor. In poor contrast conditions, the shooter can increase the luminosity by pressing the on / off switch. A timer switches the illuminance back to the standard value after about 45 seconds. Due to the design, only the shooter can see the point when looking through the reflex sight.

The reflex sight is used for quick shots at distances of up to 200 meters. This is possible because the stopping point does not change because of the flat trajectory of the projectile at distances between 50 and 150 meters. The shooter has both eyes open when shooting with this visor, which allows a larger field of view, spatial vision and ultimately a faster reaction. Since the visor can easily be fogged up, soiled or damaged, the RSA-S reflex sight is introduced for the G36A2, which is mounted on a Picatinny rail and can therefore be easily removed.

The telescopic sight underneath, integrated in the handle, with a three-fold magnification, enables the shooter to fight targets from a distance of up to 500 m. The range guessing mark for man targets up to a distance of 800 m is located in the sight . It is designed for a target height of 1.75 m. This is used to estimate the distance. The crosshair in the middle of the target circle is the target for a distance of 200 meters. The circle also forms three crosshairs in the optics, each of which serves as a target for 200, 400, 600 and 800 meters. Only the top crosshair is surrounded by a circle, the two points of intersection of the outer surfaces of the target circle with the line of sight serve as a marker for targets with a lateral speed of 15 km / h at a distance of 200 m. The 400 meter mark is where the lowest point of the crosshair intersects the circle. Due to the flat trajectory of the 5.56 mm projectile, targets at a distance of less than 200 meters can be hit with only a slightly lower stopping point.

The existing rear sight on the handle is the close combat sight for the export version of the G36, which does not have a reflex sight and is used by the Spanish army, for example. Attempts to knock off the reflex sight, which was mounted with screws and glue, usually result in the destruction of all three sighting devices.

The NSA 80 night vision attachment from Carl Zeiss is available for the G36 and can be mounted on the bracket with one hand without additional tools. This means that the G36 can be used for night combat at distances of 20 meters or more, without the need for adjustments to the target optics. However, this is done without the reflex sight , which is covered by the NSA 80. The NSA 80 measures 19 × 10 × 15 cm and weighs 1.2 kg with batteries. The NSA 80 shifts the center of gravity of the G36 forwards and upwards.

Since the XM8 with the Insight Tech-Gear ISM-IR reflex sight also provided the shooter with a daylight and IR laser, the Bundeswehr procured an additional aiming aid with the same capabilities and an additional white light headlight with the LLM01 laser light module . It is attached to the left side of the main visor mount of the G36 using a metal clamp. The laser points are well suited for a quick shot, as the sighting device of the main combat sight does not have to be used. With the help of the white light spotlight, dark corners and rooms can be illuminated during the day.

In addition, further aiming aids are available, which are introduced as part of the Infantryman of the Future (IdZ) program or as an increase in combat value. The German Armed Forces are upgrading the G36K version to the G36KA1 and G36KA2 versions. The A1 is equipped with a rail like the G36C, with an EO Tech Holosight 551 or EO Tech Holosight 552 and with a RIS system in exchange for the normal forend. The G36KA2 is equipped like the G36K, but it has an EO Tech Holosight 551 instead of the HKV-typical reflex sight. The 551 uses N batteries, the 552 also uses commercially available AA batteries. Compared to the RSA-S, the EO Tech has a larger viewing window and uses holographic technology. A holographic image is read out with the help of a laser and displayed as a reticle in the shooter's line of sight. However, it has been shown that the EO Tech is set so high through the mounting rail that it cannot be operated by all shooters without retrofitting the shoulder rest with a back and a cheek, and the shooter can only get through the holographic visor when his head is not ajar the sight can aim.

As part of the IdZ program, the HuntIR thermal imaging device is to be procured. This weighs less than 3 kg and has two fields of view with 2.3 ° × 3.0 ° for range and 6.8 ° × 9.1 ° for the greatest possible circumspection. A target identification should be possible up to 1700 meters away. For the expanded system of the infantryman of the future, the system is to be supplemented by the RangIR attachment. This adds a laser rangefinder (LEM) and digital magnetic compass (DMC) as well as a link for wireless distribution of data and video within the infantry group. The system can then also be used to calculate the exact holding point of the weapon with the help of the built-in ballistics computer. Targets can then also be precisely measured in order to initiate fire support if necessary.

Ammunition used

The DM11 ammunition in caliber 5.56 × 45 mm NATO, manufactured by MEN and RUAG Ammotec, is used for the G36 . According to statements from the Ernst Mach Institute of the Fraunhofer Society, MEN's ammunition has a too thin tin coating for the projectile, which means that the exposed rear of the projectile evaporates in a hot barrel and leads to lead emissions from the surrounding air, which also results in the hit pattern becomes imprecise. This tin thickness has an influence on the bullet trajectory when the weapon is hot and explains the sometimes changed impact behavior. MEN promised improvements.

In the 372-page report commissioned by the Ministry of Defense, the Federal Court of Auditors, the Ernst Mach Institute, a defense technology department of the German Armed Forces and the Defense Science Institute for materials and supplies contributed. As a result, however, the overall system is unreliable when the ambient temperature changes, and not just the ammunition or the housing alone.

Assemblies and accessories

G36A1 with extended and folded shoulder rest, and disassembled for cleaning

Like most infantry weapons, the G36 can be disassembled into its nine assemblies in a few simple steps. Some assemblies can also be dismantled into their individual components:

• Housing with tube and attachments
  • Housing, magazine well, magazine catch, barrel, gas drive (gas piston, drive rod, gas take-off), flash hider
• Curve magazine
• Shoulder strap
• Handle, complete
• Shaft (skeletal shoulder rest), complete
• Hand protection, complete
• Clasp
  • Bolt carrier, safety bolt, firing pin, control bolt, bolt head
• Base piece with closing spring
• Carrying handle with sighting device

G36A2 with AG36

For cleaning, the weapon is dismantled approximately as described above, with the exception of the carrying handle with sighting device and the shoulder rest, which remain connected to the housing. When cleaning in the field, the lock remains complete, the drive rod and gas piston are not removed. The time allowed for dismantling and assembling the weapon is usually two minutes, but with a little practice it can be reduced to 30 seconds. Compared to other assault rifles, the process takes a little more time because some assemblies (grip, base with recoil spring, magazine well and hand guard) are secured by three retaining bolts. The retaining bolts are temporarily stored in four holes in the shoulder rest. In an international comparison, this German solution - similar to the G3 - is unique. The G36 can be equipped with additional attachments. The most commonly used accessories (without aiming aids) are:

• Bipod
• Attachment grenade launcher AG36 (AG40-2), the fore-end must be changed for attachment.
• The multi-purpose bayonet M1974 or M1974 / 2 of the AKM, which was taken over as a "combat knife, heavy" from NVA stocks (but only with a modified retaining ring or with the flash hider removed)
• Maneuver cartridge device (MPG)
• Safety maneuver cartridge device (SMPG red)
• Safety maneuver cartridge device (SMPG white → AGDUS )
• Beta-C magazine with a capacity of 100 rounds for use as a light machine gun.

Model variants

• 

  HK G36 with bipod and Beta-C drum magazine

• 

  Latvian soldier with G36KV and AG36

• 

  Configurations of the G36

variant	Total length mm	Pipe length mm	Height mm	Width mm	Weight kg	Visors	Magazine (cartridges)
G36	1002 (758)	480	320	64 (94)	3.63 (3.77)	Triple optic reflex sight	Curve magazine (30) Drum magazine (100)
G36K K uick	833 (613)	318			3.3 (3.44)
G36C C ompact	716 (500)	228	278		2.82 (2.96)	Picatinny rail optionally open sights
G36V V ariante (formerly G36E)	1002 (758)	480	285		3.33 (3.47)	3- or 1.5-fold optics
G36KV K URZ V ersion (formerly G36KE)	833 (613)	318			3.0 (3.14)
↑ Total length: shoulder rest folded out (shoulder rest folded) ↑ Width: shoulder rest folded out (shoulder rest folded) ↑ Weight: without magazine (with empty magazine)

G36 variants of the Bundeswehr
variant	features	use
G36A0	Main combat sight, 3-way scope and reflex sight. Ability to fight at night with LLM01, NSA80 and Lucie up to proficiency level III. Limited mounting options for the AG40-2. Supplementary set IdZ-BS can be retrofitted.	First construction lot of the weapon for all branches of the armed forces.
G36A1	Like G36A0, however, unlimited mounting options for the AG40-2 by changing the gas consumption. Adjustments of safety shaft and trigger shoulder through material reinforcement.	Product improvement
G36A2	Like G36A1, but with shortened shoulder rest and Zeiss RSA reflex sight.	Product improvement
G36A2 with ErgS IdZ-BS	Additionally equipped with modified aluminum handguards and Picatinny rails. Adapter for LLM01, adapter plate for infrared, storm handle and cable switch with trigger plate.	Supplementary equipment for the IdZ basic system.
G36 SSG KR	Ability to fight at night up to proficiency level V. Other bipod. Carrying handle with extended mounting rail to accommodate all optical / optronic devices. Supplementary set IdZ-BS can be retrofitted.	Sniper rifle short range, special version for the KSK.
G36KA1	Modified aluminum handguard with Picatinny rails. Shortened shoulder rest and full-length Picatinny rail for aiming aids. EO Tech Holosight as a visor. Night combat up to proficiency level III.	Weapon for special and specialized forces
G36KA2	like G36KA1, but also available with dual main battle sights.	Weapon for special and specialized forces
G36A1.1	Continuous flat Picatinny rail for aiming aids and mechanical emergency sight. Reinforced aluminum handguard with integrated Picatinny rails and storm handle. Extended lever for the bolt catching tunnel and longer magazine release lever. Shoulder rest adjustable in length and height. Modified flash hider to accommodate the ROTEX silencer.	Modified basic weapon. Project name basic weapon long . Increased priority in procurement.
G36A3	Like G36A1.1 but with a push-to-talk button on the hand guard.	Part of the equipment, Infantryman of the Future - Extended System
G36KA3	K version with components of the long basic weapon and push-to-talk button on the handguard.	Part of the equipment, Infantryman of the Future - Extended System. Corresponds to the basic weapon project for short
G36KA4	Components of the basic weapon long additional slim-line aluminum handguard with integrated Picatinny rails. HKey interface for attaching Picatinny rails to the weapon. Since a silencer and a 40 mm launcher should be installed at the same time, the handguard has a holder for the 40 mm GLM (AG36 derivative).	Weapon for special and specialized forces

In addition to the military variants of the G36, Heckler & Koch also offers the SL8 for the civilian market . In addition, the sale of the civilian model HK243 ( HK293 in the United States) is planned, which will consist of parts of the G36 except for the barrel and bolt head and should also be able to shoot the .223 Rem caliber. It should be available in the following variants:

variant	Total length mm	Pipe length mm	Magazine (cartridges)
HK243 Compact	746 (502)	228	Curve magazine (10)
HK243 Short	837 (502)	330
HK243 S porter	938 (694)	420
HK243 L ong	998 (754)	480
↑ Overall length: shoulder rest folded out and extended (shoulder rest folded and retracted)

criticism

Decreasing accuracy when hot

In April 2012, Der Spiegel reported that attempts by the German Armed Forces had found that the G36 would get too hot "after several hundred shots", and that the probability of being hit fell rapidly at distances of over 300 meters. Since other media also took up the report, Heckler & Koch responded with a statement in which the company described the report as "part of an extremely complex campaign against the company that has now been going on for over two years". The weapons had been accepted by the Federal Office for Defense Technology and Procurement , there could be no question of a defect. In over ten years of combat operations by the German Armed Forces in Afghanistan, Heckler & Koch had not come across a single complaint from the fighting troops in relation to the target performance of the G36 rifle when it was hot. “As far as Heckler & Koch is aware, there are also within the Bundeswehr no complaints from the fighting troops became known. "

A few weeks later, Bild reported on an internal audit by the Wehrtechnischen Dienststelle 91 , during which the information from Spiegel was confirmed. One of these reports to the Federal Defense Minister was quoted as saying: "All G36s examined so far show a change in the central meeting point when they are hot-shot, [so] that an opponent can no longer be fought safely at a distance of 200 meters." The need to cool the weapon after a rapid rate of fire was pointed out, on the grounds that it would otherwise be difficult to fight targets over 100 meters. So far, no complaints from soldiers from the mission have become public

On September 16, 2013, the political magazine Report Mainz published excerpts from a classified letter from the Federal Office for Defense Technology and Procurement. Accordingly, as a result of "investigations into disputed infantry weapons", the office reported that the G36 showed " a sharp decrease in precision after a load of 90 rounds in a short time ( continuous fire / rapid single fire )". The officials responsible for testing and purchasing warned on December 2, 2011: The results "appear to indicate a significant defect from a local point of view." According to this, the G36 shows a range of 50 to 60 cm after the above-mentioned load of 90 rounds Target distance of 100 m. The question to be asked here is the extent to which a soldier can still hit with a hot weapon in a firefight.

The next day, Der Spiegel reported that the Wehrtechnische Dienststelle 91 had submitted a confidential final report in July 2012. After firing 90 rounds, the G36 has a spread of 50 to 60 centimeters over a hundred meters . The reason is the plastic parts of the G36; it already loses its rigidity at 23 degrees Celsius. If it is in the sun or if it is heated from one side, this will shift its meeting point. The "first hit probability" decreases, the need for ammunition increases, the soldier loses "confidence in his ability to shoot."

On February 17, 2014, Spiegel Online reported that the falling accuracy was caused by fluctuations in the quality of ammunition. The falling accuracy is due to the fact that the use of ammunition from a certain manufacturer causes the plastic-bearing barrel to heat up too much.

On March 30, 2015, a letter from the inspector general of the Bundeswehr , Volker Wieker , became known in which the G36 was certified as having an ammunition-independent decreasing hit accuracy at high temperatures and when hot-shot. Federal Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen announced in a press conference on the same day "The G36 obviously has a precision problem at high temperatures, but also when it is hot".

The manufacturer Heckler & Koch issued a press release in which it rejected the criticism and in particular criticized the test criteria introduced “arbitrarily” by the BMVg and accused it of “systematic” action against H&K. In the comparison test carried out by the BMVg, other weapons from Heckler & Koch, but not competing products, were used as comparison objects. The extent to which a comparison between weapons of different classes and calibers can be meaningful was not mentioned. In the “technical delivery conditions” it is stated that the rifle must hit precisely when firing individual shots. This does not apply to a combat mission with continuous fire.

According to HK, one of these comparative weapons was an older HK 416 , which was delivered to WTD 91 in 2011 as part of the Bundeswehr tender “G26 Support Weapon Short Range for KSK / Feldjäger” under the type designation “HK416Bw”. It is a special weapon in the form of a light machine gun, not an assault rifle. Photos from this test show the barrel of a HK 416 (designated as make A) and a G36A1. The manufacturer comments on the picture in its press release 6:

“... This photo not only proves that HK's assumption was correct that the special weapon HK416Bw was tested in a technically impermissible way in comparison to the assault rifle. The caption also proves that the responsible testers of the WTD91 were fully aware of the physical advantages of a much thicker tube with regard to heat absorption and vibration behavior, especially with regard to its superiority with regard to impact performance in a hot-shot state. The omission of the comparison test with the introduced MG36, which also has a thick barrel, is therefore all the more difficult to understand - especially since the MG36 is only approx. 135 g heavier than the G36 standard rifle. "

- Heckler & Koch press office : Statement No. 6 by Heckler & Koch on the G36 assault rifle

Since HK was officially excluded from the newly scheduled investigations, the company refused at the end of 2014 / beginning of 2015 to deliver newer samples of the HK 416 for comparison shelling, which is why the WTD 91 resorted to this copy from 2011.

Criticism of the procurement policy and judicial determination of freedom from material defects

In September 2012, quoted Spiegel Online and the mirror from a report of the Audit Office of the Federation (the Federal Court under standing) to the Ministry of Defense . In it, the Bundeswehr's acquisition concept was described as having no plan or concept and the ministry was accused of ignoring the soldiers' “alarming operational experience”. The G36 was named as an example; for this there was “never a careful operational test”. It's the wrong caliber type; its effectiveness has not been tested. The "previously effective G3 rifle [has] been replaced by a G36 rifle with limited effectiveness"; this cost 210 million euros. In June 2014, Spiegel Online and the Süddeutsche Zeitung reported on a report from the Federal Audit Office classified as VS- CONFIDENTIAL , in which the reliability of the weapon was questioned. The deficiencies "could lead to soldiers not being able to rely on their weapons during operations". The Ministry of Defense was reprimanded for "not responding to the ongoing criticism to the required extent".

According to a report from June 6, 2015, Volker Kauder - in 1994 Secretary General of the CDU in Baden-Württemberg - stood up for Heckler & Koch and its G36 when it came to procurement.

On June 10, 2015, the Federal Armed Forces Procurement Office reported a notice of defects due to warranty claims and insufficient accuracy. On the other hand, at the beginning of July 2015, Heckler & Koch filed a lawsuit at the Koblenz Regional Court with the request to determine “that the alleged material defects do not exist”. The lawsuit was upheld in September 2016. Previously, a survey of around 200 soldiers led by the former military commissioner Hellmut Königshaus and the Greens defense expert Winfried Nachtwei had shown that the G36's lack of precision had never been noticed in action.

BW procurement stop and procurement by Lithuania

On November 18, 2013, the Ministry of Defense received the first draft of the Federal Audit Office's report on this issue; shortly after the turn of the year 2014, the minister and a little later her state secretary were informed of this.

The Federal Ministry of Defense ordered the procurement of the G36 to be stopped in 2014 in order to first determine the reason for the inaccuracy before spending 34 million euros on additional rifles. The ammunition manufacturers, the Federal Criminal Police Office and the Ernst Mach Institute were involved in the investigation . In addition, the budget committee of the Bundestag decided that all other procurement contracts were to be submitted to it, which the Greens Committee member Tobias Lindner described as a de facto procurement freeze.

On July 7, 2015, the Lithuanian Defense Minister Juozas Olekas confirmed that the planned procurement of 8,000 more G36s for the Lithuanian armed forces would be postponed until the end of 2015 or 2016. On March 23, 2016, the Latvian Commander-in-Chief Raimonds Graube announced publicly that, after carrying out their own tests, Latvia would continue to equip the G36, as did Lithuania, and that both countries wanted to advance further procurement together.

replacement

On April 22, 2015, Federal Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen decided that the G36 in the Bundeswehr in its current form had no future and should be replaced. At a meeting between the Armaments State Secretary Katrin Suder and the managing director of Heckler & Koch, options for medium-term changes to the approximately 170,000 Bundeswehr specimens and the rapid conversion of rifles for soldiers on missions abroad were discussed. Several attempts to define a configuration for increasing the combat value of the G36 standard weapons (“G36 basic weapon long”) had previously failed in the Bundeswehr. The procurement of 120,000 assault rifles for at least 375 million euros would take around ten years, according to the Federal Armed Forces Procurement Office.

Von der Leyen also confirmed suspicions in May 2015 that Heckler & Koch, through the responsible department head, Detlef Selhausen , tried to prevent reports of problems at the G36 with the help of the Military Counter- Intelligence Service (MAD). At the instigation of the company, the MAD was supposed to spy out critical journalists and take action against their “untrue media campaign”, but President Ulrich Birkenheier refused to monitor them accordingly. However, Heckler & Koch itself denied in a press release that they had demanded or forced the spying of journalists.

In 2017, SIG Sauer withdrew from the procurement procedure for a successor model. In February 2018, Rheinmetall announced that it would not be submitting an offer for economic reasons. A decision on a supplier should be made by the end of 2018 at the earliest; delivery is planned from 2020. However, the process was repeatedly delayed, the last time a procurement decision should be made in the 2nd quarter of 2020. According to more recent reports (as of June 2020), a referral in the German Bundestag is not expected before October 2020.

Customers

Distribution of HKG 36

Spanish soldier with G36V

GIs in Kosovo with a score Shooting for the sharpshooter of the Bundeswehr

Latvian soldier with G36C

Spanish marine with G36E

Licensee

The G36 is protected by patents and may only be produced by the official licensees:

•  Germany : Heckler & Koch in Oberndorf am Neckar as developer and patent holder.
•  Spain : General Dynamics Santa Bárbara Sistemas in A Coruña .
•  Saudi Arabia : Military Industries Corporation (MIC) in Al-Kharj . The license is only valid for Saudi personal use, but it has been assumed since April 2015 that weapons are being supplied to Yemen for the fight against the rebels . In addition, parts still have to be imported from Germany despite their own production. Since the Merkel III cabinet , there are said to have been problems because Economics Minister Sigmar Gabriel has interpreted export permits more strictly than his predecessors. The Saudi government is said to have already complained about this. In response to Heckler & Koch's action for failure to act, the Frankfurt Administrative Court obliged the Federal Office of Economics and Export Control to issue a decision on the application for the export of G36 components to Saudi Arabia (judgment of June 23, 2016, Az. 5 K 3718/15. F).
•  Mexico : Starting in 2002, Heckler & Koch had been negotiating with Mexico about licensing the G36 as the successor to the Mexican G3 . However, these negotiations failed when Mexico introduced the FX-05 in 2006 . It is now being investigated whether there was a technology transfer regarding the G36 to Mexico in order to manufacture the FX-05.

User states

•  Egypt - 608 pieces
•  Australia - Australian Federal Police (G36C)
•  Belgium - Antwerp local police unit
•  Brazil - Federal Police
•  Germany - Bundeswehr ,; SEK s and other units of various state police forces (e.g. the Brandenburg Police ); BFE + , GSG9 , PSA of the BPOL (all G36C)
•  France - GIPN police officers
•  United Kingdom - SAS and SBS and police officers (who are allowed to carry a weapon)
•  Georgia - G-36K / C, both used by special forces
•  Jordan - special forces
•  Croatia - Special Operations Battalion [BSD]
•  Iraq - 8000 pieces in use by the Peshmerga
•  Latvia - G36KV as the standard rifle of the armed forces and special forces
•  Lithuania - Armed Forces Standard Rifle (G36V and G36KV)
•  Malaysia - Pasukan Khas Laut (PASKAL) Maritime Counter-Terrorism Unit of the Malaysian Navy and Pasukan Gerakan Khas (PGK) counterrevolutionary warfare by the Royal Malaysian Police
•  Mexico - various police units (including the Policía Federal ) and Infantería de Marina
•  Norway - Kystjegerkommandoen (maritime special unit)
•  Philippines - used by special military and police forces, as well as the Presidential Guard.
•  Portugal - Portuguese Marines ( Corpo de Fuzileiros )
•  Spain - all branches of the armed forces are equipped with the G36V as their standard rifle.
•  Saudi Arabia - equipment of the army and police units

literature

• Sören Sünkler: The special units of the Bundeswehr. 2nd edition, Motorbuch Verlag, Stuttgart 2007, ISBN 978-3-613-02592-9 .
• Rolf Abresch, Lothar Schulz: The soldier and his equipment. Report Verlag, Frankfurt am Main u. a. 2002, ISBN 3-932385-13-6 .
• Rolf Abresch, Ralph Wilhelm (ed.): Modern hand weapons of the Bundeswehr. Report Verlag, Frankfurt am Main u. a. 2001, ISBN 3-932385-10-1 .
• Sören Sünkler: Europe's elite and special units. Motorbuch Verlag, Stuttgart 2008, ISBN 978-3-613-02853-1 .
• Central Service Regulation (ZDv) 3/136: The G36 rifle.

Web links

Commons : G36  - album with pictures, videos and audio files

• Heckler & Koch product website
• Description of the G 36 rifle on deutschesheer.de
• Description of the G 36 rifle on streitkraeftebasis.de ( Memento from February 21, 2012 in the Internet Archive )
• G36 broken down into parts
• Extensive collection of articles on the topic on augengeradeaus.net

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Heckler & Koch MP7 and the 4.6 mm x 30 caliber . In: Deutsches Waffen Journal. January 8, 2010, accessed April 6, 2014 . 
2. ^ Edward Clinton Ezell: Small Arms of the World . Stackpole Books, New York 1983, ISBN 978-0-88029-601-4 , pp. 46-47.
3. ^ SLA Marshall: Men against Fire: The Problem of Combat Command in Future War . Morrow, New York 1966, pp. 50-60.
4. ↑ HKPro - G11 (Caseless Military Rifle)
5. ↑ David Th. Schiller: Solo tour out of bounds. In: Visier Special No. 53, p. 65.
6. ↑ HKPro - HK36
7. ↑ Rolf Abresch, Lothar Schulz: The soldier and his equipment. Report Verlag, Frankfurt am Main u. a. 2002, ISBN 3-932385-13-6 , p. 54.
8. ↑ RSA-S reflex sight Zeiss
9. ^ Heckler & Koch: System comparison. (JPG, 26.62 KB) HKPRO.COM, accessed on August 11, 2015 (English). 
10. ↑ WaffenHQ.de: Attempt to knock off a G36 reflex sight
11. ↑ Stefan Perey: HECKLER & KOCH G36 heating problem clarified. Justified or unjustified in the criticism? A really hot topic! “The” German authority supplier HECKLER & KOCH from Oberndorf has enjoyed unwanted popularity in the media and the general public in the recent past, because the Bundeswehr's service rifle is said to tend to have poor performance when fired. In: all4shooters.com. VS Medien GmbH, 2014, archived from the original on April 23, 2015 ; Retrieved April 22, 2015 . 
12. ↑ ZEIT ONLINE, dpa, AFP, saw: Bundeswehr: Experts confirm the G36's lack of accuracy. In: zeit.de . April 17, 2015, accessed May 8, 2015 . 
13. ↑ worldbayonets: Germany - G36 Bayonet (English)
14. ↑ Dietmar Pohl: knife of German special forces . 1st edition. Motorbuch, Stuttgart 2005, ISBN 978-3-613-02526-4 .
15. ↑ ^{a b} manufacturer website. In: heckler-koch.com. Heckler & Koch , accessed on January 13, 2012 (data with 999, 1000 (ZDv) are not incorrect. Measurement error 4 mm!). 
16. ↑ Jan-Phillipp Weisswange: Handguns and anti-tank handguns of the Bundeswehr: history, tactics, technology . 2nd Edition. Mittler, ES, 2014, ISBN 978-3-8132-0951-8 , pp. 130 .
17. ↑ Announcement of a notice of assessment in accordance with Section 2 (5) in conjunction with Section 48 (3) of the Weapons Act (WaffG) for the assessment of the semi-automatic self-loading rifle model “HK243” (for the US market “HK293”). In: Federal Gazette. Federal Criminal Police Office, November 6, 2013, archived from the original on December 2, 2013 ; Retrieved November 26, 2013 . 
18. ↑ Rifle with weaknesses . In: Der Spiegel . No. 14 , 2012, p. 15 ( online ).
19. ^ Opinion: Current media reports on the G36 rifle. heckler-koch.com, April 3, 2012, archived from the original on July 17, 2012 ; accessed on January 10, 2018 . 
20. ↑ Paul Ponzheimer: Bundeswehr sounds the alarm: Will the German assault rifle fail in combat? In: image . April 25, 2012. Retrieved June 29, 2014 . 
21. ↑ The Royal Family Armed Forces Commissioner criticizes the Federal Government's argumentation: As early as 2011, the German Armed Forces identified a “significant deficiency” in the G36 standard rifle. In: Report Mainz . September 16, 2013, accessed April 23, 2015 . 
22. ↑ Matthias Gebauer, Gerald Traufetter, Andreas Ulrich: Cool down to hand warmth . In: Der Spiegel . No. 38 , 2013, p. 46-48 ( online ).
23. ^ Matthias Gebauer: Weapon of the Bundeswehr: German soldiers missed because of lack of ammunition. In: Spiegel Online . 17th February 2014
24. ^ Standard rifle of the German Armed Forces Von der Leyen admits that there was a "precision problem" with the G36 rifle. sueddeutsche.de. March 30, 2015
25. ↑ Press release G36. (PDF, 77 kb) Heckler & Koch, March 31, 2015, accessed on March 31, 2015 . 
26. ^ Matthias Gebauer: G36 rifle. Dispute between Heckler & Koch and the Bundeswehr. In: spiegel.de. March 31, 2015, accessed March 31, 2015 . 
27. ↑ Thomas Wiegold: Statement No. 6 by Heckler & Koch on the G36 assault rifle. augengeradeaus.net, April 19, 2015, accessed on January 10, 2018 : “Figure 90: Comparison of the gun barrel between make A and the G36A1. The gun barrel of make A is significantly thicker, so firstly it can better absorb the shot-induced temperature and secondly it has a completely different vibration behavior, which enables significantly higher precision. " 
28. ↑ Heckler & Koch GmbH press office: Statement No. 6 by Heckler & Koch on the G36 assault rifle. ( PDF , approx. 343 KB) augengeradeaus.net, April 21, 2015, p. 3 , accessed on January 10, 2018 . 
29. ↑ Matthias Gebauer: Internal report: Bundeswehr spends senseless millions on weapons. In: Spiegel Online . September 9, 2012, accessed June 29, 2014 . 
30. ↑ Fire without effect . In: Der Spiegel . No. 37 , 2012, p. 19 ( online ).
31. ^ Matthias Gebauer, Gordon Repinski, Gerald Traufetter: Bundeswehr: Court of Audit accuses the defense department of years of cover-up for G36 rifles . In: Spiegel Online . June 27, 2014
32. ↑ Christoph Hickmann: Bundesrechnungshof - Sharp reprimand for the Ministry of Defense because of assault rifle. In: Süddeutsche Zeitung . June 27, 2014
33. ^ Breakdown rifle: CDU parliamentary group leader Kauder campaigned for G36.
34. ↑ http://www.fnp.de/nachrichten/politik/Heckler-Koch- sucht-im-Streit-um-G36-vor-Gericht; art46559,1479095
35. ↑ No compensation for G36: Heckler & Koch wins trial against federal government. In: SPIEGEL ONLINE. Retrieved September 2, 2016 . 
36. ↑ Von der Leyen announces the end of the current G36 design. stern.de, April 22, 2015, archived from the original on April 22, 2015 ; Retrieved January 10, 2018 (interview with Jan van Aken , member of the Defense Committee). 
37. ↑ Angelika Hellemann : Bundeswehr: Ministry stops assault rifle G36. In: image . June 22, 2014, accessed April 6, 2015 . 
38. ^ Matthias Gebauer: Problems with Bundeswehr standard weapon: Bundestag stops procurement of G36 rifle. Spiegel-Online , July 2, 2014 (accessed July 3, 2014).
39. ↑ kry: G36: Lithuania does not want to buy any new rifles for the time being. The G36 affair is now also affecting the export of the weapon: Lithuania does not want to buy any of the Heckler & Koch rifles for the time being - even if the country cannot confirm the problems from its own experience. In: spiegel.de. July 7, 2015, accessed July 8, 2015 . 
40. ↑ Lithuania lifts shopping stop for G36 assault rifles - joint procurement with Latvia. Thomas Wiegold. In: eyes straight ahead. March 30, 2016, accessed April 9, 2016 . 
41. ^ Assault rifle G36 has no future in the Bundeswehr. The standard weapon of the Bundeswehr, the G36 assault rifle, is to be replaced. Defense Minister von der Leyen considers the weapon to be unusable. "This rifle has no future in the Bundeswehr," said the CDU politician. In: FAZ. April 22, 2015, archived from the original on April 22, 2015 ; Retrieved April 22, 2015 . 
42. ↑ Lars-Marten Nagel: G36 successor: The Bundeswehr's new assault rifle is even more expensive. In: Handelsblatt. February 1, 2018, accessed February 23, 2018 . 
43. ↑ Thomas Wiegold: The error with the G36: It does not go to the recycling center. In: eyes straight ahead! April 30, 2015, accessed May 8, 2015 . 
44. ↑ Minister confirms attempted spying. Von der Leyen on G36 affair. In: tagesschau.de. May 7, 2015, archived from the original on May 7, 2015 ; accessed on May 7, 2015 . 
45. ^ Statement by Heckler & Koch on current reporting. heckler-koch.com, May 7, 2015, archived from the original on May 18, 2015 ; accessed on January 10, 2018 . 
46. ↑ FAZ March 12, 2018, p. 22: Heckler & Koch is well in the running with the G36 successor .
47. ↑ Successor to G36 assault rifle. In: stuttgarter-nachrichten.de. November 24, 2017. Retrieved January 26, 2019 . 
48. ↑ System Assault Rifle Bundeswehr - Decision 2020 expected in European Security & Technology October 12, 2019
49. ↑ Successor to G36: It will be later on spartanat.com , accessed on August 17, 2020
50. ↑ Hauke ​​Friederichs: Optimal in close combat. In: time online. zeit.de, February 9, 2012, accessed April 8, 2015 . 
51. ↑ Heckler & Koch: Federal government admits arms control problems. Saudi Arabia is only allowed to manufacture weapons for the German company Heckler & Koch for its own use. Apparently, the country is not sticking to the agreement. In: ZEIT ONLINE. June 12, 2015, accessed June 12, 2015 . 
52. ^ Hauke ​​Friederichs: Heckler & Koch: Difficult times for Germany's rifle maker. Heckler & Koch makes negative headlines with its G36, the judiciary is investigating two competitors. Small arms manufacturers are also facing economic problems. In: ZEIT ONLINE. May 5, 2015, accessed June 12, 2015 . 
53. ↑ https://www.lto.de/recht/hintergruende/h/vg-frankfurt-5k371815-f-entscheid-bundesregierung-ruestungsexport-heckler-koch/
54. ↑ Heckler & Koch is suing the federal government , zeit.de of October 29, 2015, accessed on October 29, 2015.
55. ↑ Amrai Coen, Hauke ​​Friederichs: German weapons: rifles for the drug war. In: ZEIT ONLINE. July 2, 2015, accessed October 8, 2015 . 
56. ↑ Guns come from Egypt. Legally exported in 2003. n-tv, October 2, 2011, accessed October 6, 2011 . 
57. ^ 'G36C Firearms' sold to the Australian Federal Police by HK Systems Australia
58. ↑ (BBT) Bijzonder Bijstand team. arrestatieteam.nl, archived from the original on May 10, 2005 ; Retrieved January 10, 2018 (Dutch). 
59. ↑ Agentes da PF mortos em tiroteio no interior do AM. November 17, 2010, archived from the original on August 17, 2016 ; Retrieved August 16, 2016 (Portuguese). 
60. ^ Army editorial staff: G36 rifle. In: bundeswehr.de. February 1, 2013, accessed September 8, 2013 . 
61. ↑ Alexander Fröhlich: New weapons for the fight against terrorism: Brandenburg's police are upgrading special forces. In: Potsdam latest news. December 4, 2015, accessed August 12, 2016 . 
62. ^ Björn Müller: Federal Police “BFE +” anti-terrorist group - first unit set up. In: Sicherheitspolicy-journalismus.org. December 16, 2015, archived from the original on December 23, 2015 ; Retrieved December 18, 2015 . 
63. ↑ Federal Police - Training. Retrieved December 9, 2019 . 
64. ↑ BPOLP: PPE area of ​​application. Retrieved December 9, 2019 . 
65. ↑ K-ISOM editorial staff: K-ISOM 05/2018 . Ed .: Katrin Schulz, S.Ka.-Verlag. 05/2018 edition. Katrin Schulz, S.Ka.-Verlag.
66. ↑ GIPN - Groupe d'Intervention de la Police Nationale. Archived from the original on May 1, 2007 ; Retrieved September 8, 2013 (French). 
67. ↑ EliteUKForces.info: Special Air Service (SAS) Weapons
68. ^ Spiegel.de: Georgians fought with German assault rifles
69. ↑ Bits.de: G36 in Georgia: Lakmustest for the federal government
70. ↑ Dean Shea: SOFEX 2008. Small Arms Defense Journal, 2009, p. 29.
71. ↑ Krešimir Žabec: Heckler & Koch: Tvornica od koje Hrvatska vojska i policija kupuju puške i bacače. Jutarnji list , November 13, 2006, accessed November 27, 2008 (Croatian). 
72. ↑ New territory for the Peshmerga: From the Kalashnikov to the G36. A new training week has started in the Kurdish training camp in Erbil. These days, the focus is on the G36. Even for experienced Peshmerga, the German rifle is still new territory. So they go their own way in learning, also for the later training of their comrades. January 23, 2015, archived from the original on February 27, 2015 ; accessed on February 28, 2015 . 
73. ↑ ^{a b} Assault rifles in a 5.56 mm evolution: the fielding of new designs and the upgrade of existing weapons will ensure that 5.56 mm remains the predominant assault rifle caliber.
74. ^ The Latvian National Armed Forces. (PDF, 263 KB) September 4, 2008, archived from the original on February 22, 2014 ; accessed on September 8, 2013 . 
75. ↑ SOJ "Aitvaras" ginkluotė, technika. In: SOJ.lt. Archived from the original on August 5, 2009 ; Retrieved September 8, 2013 (Lithuanian). 
76. ^ Leroy Thompson: Malaysian Special Forces. Special Weapons, December 2008, accessed February 14, 2012 . 
77. ↑ World Small Arms Inventory (English)
78. ^ World Infantry Weapons: Philippines
79. ↑ Ian Kemp: Assault rifles in a 5.56 mm evolution: the fielding of new designs and the upgrade of existing weapons will ensure that 5.56 mm remains the predominant assault rifle caliber. In: Armada International. Gale Group, April 1, 2007, accessed June 29, 2012 . 
80. ↑ Fusil de Asalto 5.56 mm. In: Prinicipales Programas de Armamento. Dirección General de Armamento y Material, archived from the original on December 30, 2005 ; Retrieved January 2, 2011 (Spanish).