AG-36
Notes:
The HK-69A1 and HK-79 are well-liked by German troops.
However, with foreign deployments in Afghanistan, Kosovo, and potentially
other hot spots, the troops have begun to complain about the weight of the two
launchers, and the clumsy downward break of the HK-79 (something that is not a
good idea when firing from the prone position).
By 1998, work had already begun on its replacement, the AG-36, and this
was accelerated after German deployments in Kosovo.
The AG-36 can be deployed on or off a rifle, and opens to the side
instead of the front. In addition,
the use of more advanced materials means that the AG-36 is considerably lighter
than the HK-69A1. The AG-36 is not
often deployed off of a weapon, since it has no stock.
It has its own pistol grip and trigger mechanism; the trigger pull weight
is described by one firearms expert as “horrendous.”
The AG-36 is specifically designed for mounting on the G-36, G-41, L-85,
M-16, M-4, C-7, and C-8, but can be adapted for other assault, or battle rifles
or submachineguns with the use of a kit. The AG-36 is a bit on the bulky side
due to its modular construction, integral pistol grip, and side-opening
mechanism.
The US version,
the M-320, needs some additional elaboration.
It is for the most part identical to the standard AG-36, however, does
have several differences making it sort of a unique version of the AG-36.
The side-opening mechanism of the M-320 opens a bit more than the
standard AG-36, allowing the use of several other special 40mm rounds
(particularly some pyrotechnic rounds and the HUNTER reconnaissance round) which
are too long to insert into a standard AG-36.
The interface kit is more flexible, allowing the M-320 to be mounted on
many more weapons in the US military arsenal, to include semiautomatic shotguns
and even weapons such as the M-249 SAW and M-240 GPMG.
(The interface rail is basically a slightly-modified MIL-STD-1913 rail.)
Finally, the M-320 can use a stock/pistol grip kit developed by the
Picatinny Arsenal, allowing it to be used as a stand-alone weapon, as a sort of
stockless “grenade pistol,” or with a snap-on sliding stock. When used off of
another weapon, the interface rail can be used to mount a variety of add-on
sights.
Twilight 2000
Notes: This weapon does not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline.
Merc 2000 Notes:
This weapon is not available until 2005.
Weapon |
Ammunition |
Weight |
Magazine |
Price |
AG-36 |
40mm
NATO Low-Velocity |
1.5
kg |
1
Internal |
$507 |
Weapon |
ROF |
Round |
SS |
Burst |
Range |
IFR |
AG-36 |
SS |
APERS |
1 |
Nil |
30 |
Nil |
|
SS |
CHEM |
1 |
Nil |
100 |
390 |
|
SS |
Ferret |
1 |
Nil |
100 |
390 |
|
SS |
Flash-Bang |
1 |
Nil |
100 |
390 |
|
SS |
Flechette |
1 |
Nil |
55 |
Nil |
|
SS |
HE |
1 |
Nil |
100 |
390 |
|
SS |
HEAT |
1 |
Nil |
100 |
390 |
|
SS |
HEDP |
1 |
Nil |
100 |
390 |
|
SS |
HE Airburst |
1 |
Nil |
100 |
390 |
|
SS |
ILLUM |
1 |
Nil |
100 |
390 |
|
SS |
WP |
1 |
Nil |
100 |
390 |
HK-69A1 Granatpistole
Notes:
This weapon is designed to be a light and handy launcher for low-velocity
grenades. It is meant to cover the
gap between the maximum hand grenade range and the typical minimum mortar range.
It is a single-shot break open weapon of the same concept (but not design
or appearance) as the US M-79. The
weapon breaks open after depressing an unlocking lever at the rear of the
receiver (which looks like an oversized hammer – the HK-69 in fact looks like it
has two hammers, one smaller than the other). A fancy spent shell ejector or
extractor was not used – instead, a small portion of the rear of the barrel near
the breech is cut out to allow the shooter to grasp the shell. (This would
become a standard design feature for Heckler & Koch low-velocity grenade
launchers.) The external hammer allows for the weapon to be cocked before fire,
easing the trigger pull, or an immediate second attempt to fire a misfiring
shell. The HK-69A1 is supplied with a sliding retractable stock; the weapon may
be fired with or without the stock extended, but recoil with the stock retracted
can be a bit hard. Sights consist
of a folding ladder rear and a large hooded post front; when folded, the rear
ladder sight becomes a peep sight for quick shots at short to medium range.
Weapon |
Ammunition |
Weight |
Magazine |
Price |
HK-69A1 |
40mm
NATO Low-Velocity |
2.62
kg |
1
Internal |
$500 |
Weapon |
ROF |
Round |
SS |
Burst |
Range |
IFR |
HK-69 |
SS |
APERS |
1 |
Nil |
50 |
Nil |
|
SS |
CHEM |
1 |
Nil |
100 |
420 |
|
SS |
Ferret |
1 |
Nil |
100 |
420 |
|
SS |
Flash-Bang |
1 |
Nil |
100 |
420 |
|
SS |
Flechette |
1 |
Nil |
90 |
Nil |
|
SS |
HE |
1 |
Nil |
100 |
420 |
|
SS |
HEAT |
1 |
Nil |
100 |
420 |
|
SS |
HEDP |
1 |
Nil |
100 |
420 |
|
SS |
HE Airburst |
1 |
Nil |
100 |
420 |
|
SS |
ILLUM |
1 |
Nil |
100 |
420 |
|
SS |
WP |
1 |
Nil |
100 |
420 |
Notes:
The HK-79 is a German-made grenade launcher similar in design and concept
to the M203, and can be attached to most Western European assault and battle
rifles or fitted with a stock and pistol grip.
Like the HK-69, construction is largely of steel instead of the M-203’s
alloy construction. Unlike the M-203, the HK-79’s barrel swings downward from
the weapon to which it is attached upon opening; this allows for rounds of any
length to be slid into it (other than high-velocity 40mm rounds). The HK-79
opens with an oversized latch on the left side of the receiver, again looking
like some sort of oversized, oddly-placed hammer. The HK-79 does have a sort of
external hammer; it is a T-shaped handle at the rear of the HK-79’s receiver.
That said, in most installations, there is very little room to actually use this
external cocking mechanism. German assault rifles that have an HK-79 attached
are normally appended with the nomenclature “TGS” (such as G-41A2TGS), leading
to the mistaken impression that TGS is the name of this grenade launcher.
Weapon |
Ammunition |
Weight |
Magazine |
Price |
HK-79 |
40mm
NATO Low-Velocity |
1.5
kg |
1
Internal |
$450 |
Weapon |
ROF |
Round |
SS |
Burst |
Range |
IFR |
HK-79 (On/Off Weapon) |
SS |
APERS |
1 |
Nil |
50 |
Nil |
|
SS |
CHEM |
1 |
Nil |
100 |
420 |
|
SS |
Ferret |
1 |
Nil |
100 |
420 |
|
SS |
Flash-Bang |
1 |
Nil |
100 |
420 |
|
SS |
Flechette |
1 |
Nil |
90 |
Nil |
|
SS |
HE |
1 |
Nil |
100 |
420 |
|
SS |
HEAT |
1 |
Nil |
100 |
420 |
|
SS |
HEDP |
1 |
Nil |
100 |
420 |
|
SS |
HE Airburst |
1 |
Nil |
100 |
420 |
|
SS |
ILLUM |
1 |
Nil |
100 |
420 |
|
SS |
WP |
1 |
Nil |
100 |
420 |
Notes:
This weapon began manufacture in early1997.
It was developed to be a two-man load.
This weapon uses 40mm NATO HV ammunition, but may not fire normal 40mm
grenade ammunition. The GMG has
many safeties designed to prevent accidental fire or injure the users.
Fieldstripping does not require tools, and the entire mechanism of the
weapon slides out on rails for routine maintenance.
The GMG uses the standard NATO Heavy Tripod.
Weapon |
Ammunition |
Weight |
Magazine |
Price |
HK
Grenade Machine Gun |
40mm
NATO High-Velocity |
39.9
kg |
32
Belt |
$1695 |
Ammo:
40mm NHV; Weight: (without tripod) 39.9 kg; Magazine: 32B; Price: $1695
(-/-)
Weapon |
ROF |
Round |
SS |
Burst |
Range |
IFR |
HK Grenade Machine Gun |
5 |
HVHE |
0 |
2 |
200 |
2030 |
|
5 |
HVHEDP |
0 |
2 |
200 |
2030 |
|
5 |
HVCC |
0 |
2 |
230 |
Nil |
HK Grenade Machine Weapon (GMW)
Notes:
This is a lightened version of the Grenade Machine Gun described above.
It was designed to be used by infantry, and can be more readily toted by
foot soldiers than the GMG. It is
otherwise similar to the GMG. The
GMW uses the NATO medium tripod.
Weapon |
Ammunition |
Weight |
Magazine |
Price |
HK
Grenade Machine Weapon |
40mm
NATO High-Velocity |
25.9
kg |
32
Belt |
$2120 |
Weapon |
ROF |
Round |
SS |
Burst |
Range |
IFR |
HK GMW |
5 |
HVHE |
0 |
2 |
200 |
2030 |
|
5 |
HVHEDP |
0 |
2 |
200 |
2030 |
|
5 |
HVCC |
0 |
2 |
230 |
Nil |