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130-893: Work on the MG5 began, under the HK121 designation, shortly after the development of the MG4 light machine gun that Heckler & Koch initially presented as the HK MG43 at the MILIPOL 2001 trade show in Paris. A prototype of the HK121 was presented to a larger public by Heckler & Koch on the 14th day of the infantry in July 2010 in Hammelburg. In June 2013, it was announced that Germany was testing and evaluating 65 samples and planned to buy at least 7,114 of

260-403: A dovetail slot on the back part of the barrel or the receiver , closer to the eye of the shooter, allowing for easy visual pick-up of the notch. Front sights are mounted to the front end of the barrel by dovetailing, soldering , screwing , or staking very close to the muzzle , frequently on a "ramp". Some front sight assemblies include a detachable hood intended to reduce glare , and if

390-405: A long-stroke gas piston to cycle the conventional rotary bolt action. The design employs a number of concepts that have proven successful in other firearms. The locking mechanism, feed and trigger mechanisms are derived from the MG4 light machine gun. The MG5 fires from an open bolt . The MG5 is gas-operated and chambered in 7.62×51mm NATO. The weapon's operation is almost identical to that of

520-448: A " figure 8 " configuration, where a proper sight picture uses a bead mounted at the midpoint of the barrel in conjunction with a front bead mounted toward the muzzle. Many shotgun manufacturers, such as Browning, calibrate these sighting systems to produce a shotgun pattern that is "dead-on" when the front bead is stacked just above the mid-bead, producing the figure-8 sight picture. Aperture sights, also known as "peep sights", range from

650-406: A big white or gold bead front sight. These sights do not occlude the target as much as some other styles which is useful in the case of a charging animal. In cases where the range is close and speed far outweighs accuracy (e.g. the shooter is being charged by dangerous big-game), the front sight is used like a shotgun bead; the rear sight is ignored, and the bead is placed on the target. When more time

780-422: A complete miss (a 3 mm (0.12 in) point of impact miss). At 1,000 m (3,300 ft), that same misalignment would be magnified 100 times, giving an error of over 300 mm (12 in), 1,500 times the sight misalignment. Increasing the sight radius helps to reduce eventual angular errors and will, in case the sight has an incremental adjustment mechanism, adjust in smaller increments when compared to

910-521: A consequence of improved Dutch-German cooperation, since 2014 two of the three Royal Netherlands Army Brigades are under German Command. In 2014, the 11th Airmobile Brigade was integrated into the German Division of fast forces (DSK). The Dutch 43rd Mechanized Brigade will be assigned to the 1st Panzer Division of the German army, with the integration starting at the beginning of 2016, and

1040-459: A corps of drums, up to two escort companies of the Bundeswehr 's Wachbataillon (or another deputized unit) and Torchbearers. The Zapfenstreich is only performed during national celebrations or solemn public commemorations. It can honour distinguished persons present such as the German federal president, or provide the conclusion to large military exercises. Another important tradition in

1170-597: A deployable bipod inside the handle, can be mounted to increase mobility. In a stationary, heavy machine gun role the MG5 can also be mounted on the MG3 Feldlafette buffered field tripod by using additional adapters. The Bundeswehr use a RAL 8000 green brown surface finish on their MG5s and has chosen to use a 550 mm (21.7 in) barrel instead of a 663 mm (26.1 in) barrel for their mounted guns to promote parts uniformity. Various side-folding and fixed polymer buttstocks are available as well as

1300-689: A discussion among the United States, the United Kingdom and France over the issue of a revived (West) German military. In particular, France was reluctant to allow Germany to rearm in light of recent history (Germany had invaded France twice in living memory, in World War I and World War II , and also defeated France in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870/71). However, after the project for a European Defence Community failed in

1430-530: A folding fore end forward grip positioned under the gas tube. Bundeswehr The Bundeswehr ( German: [ˈbʊndəsˌveːɐ̯] , literally Federal Defence ) is the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany . The Bundeswehr is divided into a military part (armed forces or Streitkräfte ) and a civil part, the military part consisting of the German Army ,

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1560-531: A former general of the Wehrmacht and Free Democratic Party politician, submitted the name Bundeswehr for the new forces. This name was later confirmed by the West German Bundestag . The Bundeswehr was officially established on the 200th birthday of Scharnhorst on 12 November 1955. In personnel and education terms, the most important initial feature of the new German armed forces

1690-421: A further identical shorter sighting line. With the front sight on the front end of the barrel, sight radius may be increased by moving the rear sight from the barrel onto the receiver or tang. Sights for shotguns used for shooting small, moving targets (such as skeet shooting , trap shooting , and clay pigeon shooting ) work quite differently. The rear sight is completely discarded, and the rear reference point

1820-492: A heat shield and a carrying/barrel exchange handle, gas port and front sight attached. After around 300 rounds of rapid fire , the gun operator has to replace the hot barrel with a new cool(er) one. Non-observance of this technical limitation renders the barrel prematurely unusable. A hot barrel can be replaced with its carrying and barrel exchange handle without using protective gloves or other heat protection. The MG5 takes zero shifts between barrel assemblies into account by making

1950-426: A hot barrel. Rather than being aimed like a rifle or handgun, the shotgun is pointed with the focus always on the target, and the unfocused image of the barrel and bead are placed below the target (the amount below depends on whether the target is rising or falling) and slightly ahead of the target if there is lateral movement. This method of aiming is not as precise as that of a front sight/rear sight combination, but it

2080-405: A larger, brighter ring. The precise sizes are quite subjective, and depend on both shooter preference and ambient lighting, which is why target rifles come with easily replaceable front sight inserts, and adjustable aperture mechanisms. Front aperture size is a compromise between a tight enough aperture to clearly define the aiming point and a loose enough aperture so as to not cause 'flicker'. When

2210-566: A maximum of 5.16 MOA/15 mrad (previously 3.44 MOA/10 mrad) after a barrel change with a barrel of the same length. Optical or night sights or laser pointers can be mounted on a length of STANAG 4694 NATO Accessory Rail located on the receiver feed tray cover. Bundeswehr models are generally equipped with Hensoldt ZO 4×30 Intermediate Range Targeting Optic combined with a red dot as optical day sights with 4× magnification to promote accuracy of fire. The ZO 4×30 Intermediate Range Targeting Optic can be augmented by night-vision attachments. With

2340-461: A national defence force. The Federal Border Protection ( Bundesgrenzschutz ), a mobile, lightly armed police force of 10,000 men, was formed on 14 March 1951 and expanded to 20,000 men on 19 June 1953. A proposal to integrate West German troops with soldiers of France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Italy in a European Defence Community was proposed but never implemented. There was

2470-709: A number of large-scale training exercises resulting in operational casualties. The first such incident was in June 1957, when 15 paratroop recruits drowned in the Iller river, Bavaria . At the time of reunification, the German military boasted a manpower of some 585,000 soldiers. As part of the German reunification process, under the Treaty on the Final Settlement with Respect to Germany (Two-Plus Four Treaty), which paved

2600-508: A plan to increase the power of the German military, pledging €100 billion ($ 112.7 billion) of the 2022 budget for the armed forces and repeating his promise to reach the 2% of gross domestic product spending on defense in line with (as editorialized by Deutsche Welle ) NATO "demands". According to information from defense politicians of the federal German parliament, representatives of the armaments industry and other experts, in October 2022

2730-525: A pre-determined point of impact (POI) at that distance, known as a "zero". Using that "zero" as a default reference, the point of aim can be readily re-calibrated to superimpose with the bullet's point of impact when shooting at different distances. Modern iron sights can all provide some horizontal and vertical adjustments for sighting-in, and often have elevation markings that allow the shooter to quickly compensate (though with rather limited precision) for increasing bullet drops at extended distances. Because

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2860-402: A shotgun toward its target is considered a slightly different skill than aiming a rifle or pistol. Shotgunners are encouraged to " point " a shotgun versus the accurate aiming of a rifle. Some even espouse a mentality that eliminates the concept of "aim" altogether. Because much of shotgunning involves putting a scatter pattern in the path of moving targets, the concept of a sight is considered

2990-624: A simple majority. This has led to some discontent with Germany's allies about troop deployments e.g. in Afghanistan since parliamentary consent over such issues is relatively hard to achieve in Germany. The combat forces of the Army are organised into three combat divisions and participate in multi-national command structures at the corps level. The Air Force maintains three divisions and the Navy

3120-427: A single minute of arc over the full range of the sight. Assault rifles and sporterized semi-automatic rifles can have foldable rear and front sight elements that can be readily flipped up or down by the user. Such iron sights are often used as secondary sighting systems in case the main weapon sight (typically an optical sight such as a telescopic sight or red dot sight ) malfunctions or becomes unsuitable for

3250-536: A strength of 495,000 military and 170,000 civilian personnel. Although Germany had smaller armed forces than France and the United States, Cold War historian John Lewis Gaddis assesses the Bundeswehr as "perhaps (the) world's best army". The Army consisted of three corps with 12 divisions, most of them heavily armed with tanks and APCs. The Luftwaffe owned significant numbers of tactical combat aircraft and took part in NATO's integrated air defence (NATINAD) . The Navy

3380-433: A subconscious aid. The front sight of a shotgun is a small spherical "bead" attached to the muzzle , acts as a reference, while the "rear sight" is nothing more than a narrow longitudinal groove on the receiver and barrel rib . When shooting, aligning the rear groove with the front bead is not to be consciously considered, as it comprises only a rough reference allowing the shooter to use their natural point of aim to make

3510-482: A thin layer of mud or dirt applied to the sight will help kill the glare, as long as the coating is thin and consistent enough not to change the shape of the sights. Many target sights are designed with vertical or even undercut front sight blades, which reduces the angles at which light will produce glare off the sight—the downside of these sights is that they tend to snag on clothing, branches, and other materials, so they are common only on target guns. Sight hoods reduce

3640-399: A time, and the rear sight, front sight and target are all in separate planes, only one of those three planes can be in focus. Which plane is in focus depends on the type of sight, and one of the challenges to a shooter is to keep the focus on the correct plane to allow for best sight alignment. The general advice, however, is to focus on the front sight. Due to parallax , even a tiny error in

3770-434: A trench milled into the top strap of the frame, and the front sight is the to-be-expected blade. Certain handguns may have the rear sight mounted on a hoop-like bracket that straddles the slide. With typical blade- or post-type iron sights, the shooter would center the front sight's post in the notch of the rear sight and the tops of both sights should be level. Since the eye is only capable of focusing on one focal plane at

3900-413: A visible and tactile loaded chamber indicator to alert its operator that there is a round present in line with the chamber. Three-position adjustment of the gas port allows selecting the cyclic rate of fire (640, 720 or 800 rounds per minute) and subsidiary can adjust the gas system for various types of cartridge loadings or use in the presence of heavy fouling. The gas port can be field adjusted by sliding

4030-868: A way that could potentially damage or distort the shape of the ring. Target aperture sights are designed for maximum precision. The rear sight element (often called " diopter ") is usually a large disk (up to 1 inch or 2.5 cm in diameter) with a small hole in the middle, of approximately 1.2 mm (0.047 in) or less, and is placed close to the shooter's eye. High end target diopters normally accept accessories like adjustable diopter aperture and optical filter systems to ensure optimal sighting conditions for match shooters. Typical modern target shooting diopters offer windage and elevation corrections in 2 mm (0.079 in) to 4 mm (0.157 in) increments at 100 m (109.4 yd). Some International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) (Olympic) shooting events require this precision level for sighting lines, since

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4160-460: Is a matte finish on the sights. Serrating or bead blasting the sight is a common solution for brightly finished sights, such as blued steel or stainless steel. Matte finishes such as parkerizing or matte black paint can also help. "Smoking" a sight by holding a match or cigarette lighter under the sight to deposit a fine layer of soot is a technique used by many shooters, and special soot-producing lighters are sold for use by competition shooters. Even

4290-547: Is aiming to expand the Bundeswehr to around 203,000 soldiers by 2025 to better cope with increasing responsibilities. Following concerns from the Russian invasion of Ukraine , Germany announced a major shift in policy, pledging a €100 billion special fund for the Bundeswehr ;– to remedy years of underinvestment – along with raising the budget to above 2% GDP . The name Bundeswehr

4420-443: Is available, the bead is placed in the "V" of the rear sight. Open sights have many advantages: they are very common, inexpensive to produce, uncomplicated to use, sturdy, lightweight, resistant to severe environmental conditions, and they do not require batteries. On the other hand, they are not as precise as other forms of sights, and are difficult or impossible to adjust. Open sights also take much more time to use—the buckhorn type

4550-485: Is based on three major themes: One of the most visible traditions of the modern Bundeswehr is the Großer Zapfenstreich . This is a form of military tattoo that has its origins in the landsknecht era. The FRG reinstated this formal military ceremony in 1952, three years before the foundation of the Bundeswehr . Today it is performed by a military band with 4 fanfare trumpeters and timpani,

4680-457: Is considered by some to be the fastest type of aperture sight. It is fairly accurate, easy to use, and obscures the target less than nearly all other non-optical sights. Because of this, ghost ring sights are commonly installed on riot and combat shotguns and customized handguns , and they are also gaining ground as a backup sighting system on rifles . The ghost ring is a fairly recent innovation, and differs from traditional aperture sights in

4810-480: Is known as the 'point of aim' (POA) within their own field of view , which then gets pointed directly (i.e. aimed) at the target. The physical distance between the front and rear sights is known as the 'sight radius', the longer of which produces smaller angular errors when aiming. " Sighting in " is a process in which the sight axis is adjusted to intersect the trajectory of the bullet at a designated distance (typically at 100  yards / meters ), in order to produce

4940-565: Is located at Henning von Tresckow Kaserne ( Schwielowsee ) near Potsdam and is headed by a Generalleutnant (3-star general). The role of the Bundeswehr is described in the Constitution of Germany (Art. 87a) as absolutely defensive only. Its only active role before 1990 was the Katastropheneinsatz (disaster control). Within the Bundeswehr , it helped after natural disasters both in Germany and abroad. After 1990,

5070-404: Is mounted on the barrel assembly and is adjustable mechanically for both windage and elevation. The sight line radius is 602 millimeters (23.7 in). The MG5 was expressly designed to use various types of receiver mounted optical sights as its primary sighting option. Therefore achieving a negligible zero change in practical use between barrel assembly changes was a major design requirement that

5200-438: Is much faster, and the wide spread of shots can allow an effective hit even if there is some aiming error. Some shotguns also provide a mid-bead , which is a smaller bead located halfway down the rib, which allows more feedback on barrel alignment. Some shotguns may also come equipped with rifle-style sights. These types of sights are typically found on shotguns intended for turkey hunting . Open sights generally are used where

5330-424: Is provided by the correct and consistent positioning of the shooter's head. A brightly colored (generally the bead is made of a polished metal such as brass and silver , or a plastic fluorescent material, such as green and orange ) round bead is placed at the end of the barrel . Often, this bead will be placed along a raised, flat rib , which is usually ventilated to keep it cool and reduce mirage effects from

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5460-576: Is structured into two flotillas. The Joint Support Service and the Joint Medical Service are both organized in four regional commands of identical structure. All of these services also have general commands for training, procurement, and other general issues. The Armed Forces Operational Command ( Einsatzführungskommando der Bundeswehr ) is the only joint military command of the Bundeswehr. It controls all missions abroad. The command

5590-401: Is the inherent fragility of the moving parts. A fixed sight is a solid piece of metal, usually steel, and if firmly attached to the gun, little is going to be able to damage it beyond usefulness. Adjustable sights, on the other hand, are bulkier, and have parts that must move relative to the gun. Solid impact on an adjustable sight will usually knock it out of adjustment, if not knock it right off

5720-433: Is the slowest, patridge, "U" and "V" type notch sights are only a bit quicker; only the express sight is relatively fast. In addition, open sights tend to block out the lower portion of the shooter's field of view by nature, and because of the depth of field limitations of the human eye, do not work as well for shooters with less than perfect vision. Among those utilizing shotguns for hunting of upland game , directing

5850-409: The Bundeswehr acknowledged in October chronic equipment problems that rendered its armed forces "unable to deliver its defensive NATO promises". Among the problems cited were dysfunctional weapons systems, armored vehicles, aircraft, and naval vessels unfit for immediate service due to a neglect of maintenance, and serious equipment and spare parts shortages. The situation was so dire in 2016 that it

5980-458: The Bundeswehr has approximately 34,600 reserve personnel (2024). With German military expenditures at $ 66.8 billion (2023), the Bundeswehr is the seventh highest-funded military in the world, though military expenditures have until recently remained low at an average at 1.5% of national GDP, well below the non-binding NATO target of 2%. In 2024, Germany fulfilled NATO obligations of spending 2% of its GDP on its armed forces. Germany

6110-550: The Bundeswehr is also training the new Iraqi security forces in locations outside Iraq, such as the United Arab Emirates and Germany. Iron sight Iron sights are a system of physical alignment markers used as a sighting device to assist the accurate aiming of ranged weapons such as firearms , airguns , crossbows , and bows , or less commonly as a primitive finder sight for optical telescopes . Iron sights, which are typically made of metal, are

6240-469: The Bundeswehr is to play a greater role as "anchor army" for smaller NATO states, by improving coordination between its divisions and smaller members' Brigades . A further proposal by Minister of Defence Ursula von der Leyen , to allow non-German EU nationals to join the Bundeswehr , was met in July 2016 by strong opposition, even from her own party. It was announced in February 2017 that

6370-566: The Bundeswehr was established in 1955, its founding principles were based on developing a completely new military force for the defence of West Germany . In this respect the Bundeswehr did not consider itself to be a successor to either the Reichswehr (1921–1935) of the Weimar Republic or Hitler's Wehrmacht (1935–1945), and did not adhere to the traditions of any former German military organization. Its official ethos

6500-495: The Bundeswehr were awarded new contracts and new ranks, dependent on their individual qualification and experience. Many were granted and accepted a lower rank than previously held in the Volksarmee . In general, the unification process of the two militaries – under the slogan " Armee der Einheit " (or "Army of Unity") – has been seen publicly as a major success and an example for other parts of

6630-635: The Bundeswehr 's Wachbataillon make their vow ( Gelöbnis ) at the Bendlerblock in Berlin. This was the headquarters of the resistance and also where the officers were summarily executed following the failure of the attempt. National commemorations are held nearby within the grounds of the Reichstag . Similar events also take place across the German Republic. Since 2011, when conscription

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6760-692: The Nationale Volksarmee (NVA), in 1956, with conscription being established only in 1962. The Nationale Volksarmee was eventually dissolved with the reunification of Germany in 1990. Compulsory conscription was suspended – but not completely abolished as an alternative – in January 2011. During the Cold War the Bundeswehr was the backbone of NATO's conventional defence in Central Europe . It had

6890-621: The Wehrmacht was dissolved following World War II . When the Federal Republic of Germany was founded in 1949, it was without a military. Germany remained completely demilitarized and any plans for a German military were forbidden by Allied regulations. Some naval mine-sweeping units such as the German Mine Sweeping Administration ( Deutscher Minenräumdienst ) continued to exist, but they remained unarmed and under Allied control and did not serve as

7020-541: The Baltic states or Indonesia (the latter received 39 former Volksmarine vessels of various types). With reunification, all restrictions on the manufacture and possession of conventional arms that had been imposed on the Bundeswehr as a condition for West German rearmament were lifted. Since 1996, Germany also has its own special forces, the Kommando Spezialkräfte (Special Forces Command). It

7150-547: The Czech Republic 's 4th Rapid Deployment Brigade and Romania 's 81st Mechanized Brigade would be integrated into Germany's 10 Armoured Division and Rapid Response Forces Division. As of 31 December 2022 , the number of active military personnel in the Bundeswehr was 183,051. Military expenditure in Germany was at $ 52.8 billion in 2020. At the end of February 2022, in light of Russia's invasion of Ukraine , chancellor Olaf Scholz announced

7280-792: The French National Assembly in 1954, France agreed to West German accession to NATO and rearmament. With growing tensions between the Soviet Union and the West, especially after the Korean War , this policy was to be revised. While the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) was already secretly rearming, the seeds of a new West German force started in 1950 when former high-ranking German officers were tasked by Chancellor Konrad Adenauer to discuss

7410-868: The German Navy , the German Air Force , the Joint Support Service , the Joint Medical Service , and the Cyber and Information Domain Service . As of 31 May 2024 , the Bundeswehr had a strength of 180,215 active-duty military personnel and 80,761 civilians, placing it among the 30 largest military forces in the world, and making it the second largest in the European Union behind France . In addition,

7540-566: The Great Recession and the European debt crisis . In 2011/12, a major reform of the Bundeswehr was announced under Thomas de Maizière , further limiting the number of military bases and soldiers. The land forces of the Bundeswehr would have three large units at divisional level. There are currently five. The number of brigades decreased from eleven to eight. German military expenditures are lower than comparable countries such as

7670-476: The MG4 light machine gun . Unlike the stamped sheet metal receiver of MG4 light machine gun the receiver of the MG5 is made out of two steel receiver shell castings and a connection block that are connected by a patented process. The safety is ambidextrous, the butt stock is field adjustable for length of pull and features a user height adjustable cheek-piece and can be folded depending on the variant. It also features

7800-600: The Panavia Tornado . Germany considered increasing the size of the army, and in May 2016 it announced it would spend €130 billion on new equipment by 2030 and add nearly 7,000 soldiers by 2023 in the first German military expansion since the end of the Cold War. In February 2017, the German government announced another expansion, which would increase the number of its professional soldiers by 20,000 by 2024. As

7930-508: The black powder used in muzzleloaders and early cartridges was not capable of propelling a bullet at high speed, these sights had very large ranges of vertical adjustments, often on the order of several degrees, allowing very long shots to be made accurately. The .45-70 cartridge, for example, was tested by the military for accuracy at ranges of up to 1,500 yards (1,372 metres), which required 3 1 ⁄ 3 degrees of elevation. Both ladder and tang sights folded down when not in use to reduce

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8060-412: The "V" of the notch. The semi-buckhorn is similar but has a wider gently curving notch with the more precise "V" at its center and is standard on classic Winchester and Marlin lever-action rifles. Express sights are most often used on heavy caliber rifles intended for the hunting of dangerous big game , and are in the form of a wide and large "V" with a heavy white contrast line marking its bottom and

8190-404: The "ghost ring" sight, whose thin ring blurs to near invisibility (hence "ghost"), to target aperture sights that use large disks or other occluders with pinhole-sized apertures. In general, the thicker the ring, the more precise the sight, and the thinner the ring, the faster the sight. The theory of operation behind the aperture sight is often stated that the human eye will automatically center

8320-530: The Bundeswehr only had enough ammunition in stock for one or two days during wartime. A report made by the Ministry of Defence revealed problems in the Bundeswehr such as limited preparedness and lack of equipment. In the letter accompanying the report which was sent to the federal German parliament , the Minister of Defence noted that the situation would improve but "closing the gaps takes time". With

8450-415: The MG5 can be fed with 80-round cloth ammunition pouches or a Gurtkasten (belt box) containing 120 rounds and fitted to the left side of the receiver or from stand-alone ammunition boxes. The feeding system is based on the direct push-through of the cartridge out of the belt link into the gun's chamber. Feed is performed in two steps by a pawl-type feeding mechanism that continues to move the belt during both

8580-473: The United Kingdom, or countries of the European Union such as France, especially when taking into account Germany's larger population and economy. This discrepancy is often criticized by Germany's NATO allies, as far back as Obama -era US Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates . As one result of the 2014 NATO Wales summit which was attended by both Merkel and Ursula von der Leyen in September 2014,

8710-432: The ambidextrous lever-type safety placed in the safe setting, the firing mechanism is disabled regardless of the position of the bolt and the arm can be cocked by the non-reciprocal T-shaped cocking handle with the safety engaged. The MG5 can be loaded with the bolt forward or cocked as the cam roller is spring-loaded, pushing down when the feed cover is closed and then automatically snapping up to properly engage and operate

8840-494: The angle of sight alignment results in a trajectory that diverges from the target on a trajectory directly relative to the distance from the target, causing the bullet to miss the target; for example, with a 10 meter air rifle shooter trying to hit the 10 ring, which is merely a 0.5 mm (0.020 in) diameter dot on the target at 10 m (33 ft) and with a 4.5 mm (0.18 in) diameter pellet , an error of only 0.2 mm (0.0079 in) in sight alignment can mean

8970-522: The aperture is too small, the boundary between the target and front aperture outline becomes indistinct, requiring the shooter to consciously or subconsciously generate small eye movements to measure the distance around the target. USA Shooting recommends a front aperture that creates at least 3 Minutes of Angle (MOA) of boundary space. In research performed by Precision Shooting, it was found that this increased shooter confidence, reduced hold times, and created more decisive shots. There may be an upper bound to

9100-455: The aperture's diameter is completely contained within the eye's pupil diameter, the exact visual location of the front sight post within the rear aperture ring does not affect the accuracy, and accuracy only starts to degrade slightly due to parallax shift as the aperture's diameter begins to encroach on the outside of the eye's pupil diameter. An additional benefit to aperture sights is that smaller apertures provide greater depth of field , making

9230-460: The base of a 7.62×51mm NATO cartridge into machined slots to select one of the three possible settings. The MG5 features STANAG 4694 NATO Accessory Rails that are backwards-compatible with the STANAG 2324/MIL-STD-1913 Picatinny rails allowing installation of optical sights and other accessories. The quick-change cold hammered chrome-lined barrel is an integral part of the barrel assembly and has

9360-424: The case of firearms, where the projectile follows a curved ballistic trajectory below the bore axis , the only way to ensure it will hit an intended target is by aiming at the precise point on the trajectory at that target's intended distance. To do that, the shooter aligns their line of sight with the front and rear sights, forming a consistent 'line of aim' (known as the 'sight axis') and in turn producing what

9490-417: The center of the target, bisecting the target vertically and horizontally. For a 6 o'clock hold, the front sight is positioned just below the target and centered horizontally. A 6 o'clock hold is only good for a known target size at a known distance and will not hold zero without user adjustment if these factors are varied. From the shooter's point of view, there should be a noticeable space between each side of

9620-423: The chance of damage to the sights. Ladder sights were mounted on the barrel, and could be used as sights in both the folded and unfolded states. Tang sights were mounted behind the action of the rifle, and provided a very long sight radius, and had to be unfolded for use, though rifles with tang sights often had open sights as well for close range use. Tang sights often had vernier scales , allowing adjustment down to

9750-564: The chances of snagging an undercut sight and are common on some types of rifles, particularly lever-action rifles, but they are prohibited in some shooting disciplines. While target shooters generally prefer a matte black finish to their sights, to reduce the chance of glare and increase the contrast between the sights and the light bars, black sights don't offer good visibility with dark targets or in low light conditions, such as those often encountered in hunting, military, or self-defense situations. A variety of different contrast enhancements to

9880-522: The definition given by Defence Minister Peter Struck (2002 to 2005), it may be necessary to defend Germany even at the Hindu Kush . This requires the Bundeswehr to take part in operations outside of the borders of Germany, as part of NATO or the European Union and mandated by the UN. Since the early 1990s the Bundeswehr has become more and more engaged in international operations in and around

10010-544: The earliest and simplest type of sighting device. Since iron sights neither magnify nor illuminate the target, they rely completely on the viewer's naked eye and the available light by which the target is visible. In this respect, iron sights are distinctly different from optical sight designs that employ optical manipulation or active illumination, such as telescopic sights , reflector (reflex) sights , holographic sights , and laser sights . Iron sights are typically composed of two components mounted perpendicularly above

10140-406: The extreme thinness of the rear ring and the slightly thicker front sight. The thin ring minimizes the occlusion of the target, while the thicker front post makes it easy to find quickly. Factory Mossberg ghost ring sights also have thick steel plates on either side of the extremely thin ring. These are to protect the sight's integrity in cases where, if the shotgun were to fall and impact a surface in

10270-405: The feed camming track. When a cartridge is in line with the feedway and the cover is closed, an indicator tab is pushed upward on the cover, providing visual as well as tactile warning in low light conditions. For the light machine gun role a quick-detachable user adjustable folding bipod weighing 0.70 kg (1.54 lb) is provided. Alternatively a "Grip Pod" , a type of vertical grip that has

10400-446: The final score of the top competitors last shots series is expressed in tenths of scoring ring points. The complementing front sight element may be a simple bead or post, but is more often a " globe "-type sight, which consists of a cylinder with a threaded cap, which allows differently shaped removable front sight elements to be used. Most common are posts of varying widths and heights or rings of varying diameter—these can be chosen by

10530-586: The former Yugoslavia , and also in other parts of the world like Cambodia or Somalia . After the 11 September 2001 attacks , German forces were employed in most related theaters except Iraq . Currently (1 April 2024) there are 1,084 Bundeswehr soldiers deployed in: In addition to the numbers above, 51 soldiers are on permanent stand-by for medical evacuation operations around the world in assistance of ongoing German or coalition operations ( STRATAIRMEDEVAC ). In support of Allied stabilization efforts in Iraq,

10660-425: The front aperture size that improves performance, however. In 2013, researchers performed experiments with the game of golf, specifically the skill of putting which is another skill that combines visual alignment with motor skills. They found that by manipulating the perceived size of the target (the golf hole) by surrounding it with concentric rings of various sizes, there was a phenomenon that improved performance when

10790-405: The front sight and the edges of the notch; the spaces are called light bars , and the brightness of the light bars provides the shooter feedback as to the alignment of the post in the notch. Vertical alignment is done by lining up the top of the front post with the top of the rear sight, or by placing the bead just above the bottom of the V or U-notch. If the post is not centered in the V or U notch,

10920-412: The front sight can increase the apparent brightness of the light bar on one side of the sight, causing windage errors in aiming, or lower the apparent height of the front sight, causing elevation errors in aiming. Since the direction of the ambient light is rarely constant for a shooter, the resulting changing glare can significantly affect the point of aim. The most common solution to the problem of glare

11050-480: The front sight of the assemblies mechanically adjustable. The MG5 uses M13 (designated DM60 by Germany) disintegrating belts for feeding ammunition from the left side. It can be fed with a Gurttrommel (belt drum) which contains a 50-round disintegrating belt and is fitted to the receiver on the left side. The Gurttrommel is not a true magazine but holds a curled 50-round belt preventing it from snagging, twisting and getting stuck during mobile assaults. Alternatively,

11180-451: The front sight when looking through the rear aperture, thus ensuring accuracy. However, aperture sights are accurate even if the front sight is not centered in the rear aperture due to a phenomenon called parallax suppression. This is because, when the aperture is smaller than the eye's pupil diameter, the aperture itself becomes the entrance pupil for the entire optical system of target, front sight post, rear aperture, and eye. As long as

11310-550: The growing number of missions abroad it was recognized that the Bundeswehr required a new command structure. A reform commission under the chairmanship of the former President Richard von Weizsäcker presented its recommendations in spring 2000. In October 2000 the Joint Support Service , the Streitkräftebasis , was established to concentrate logistics and other supporting functions such as military police, supply and communications under one command. Medical support

11440-495: The gun. Because of this, guns for self defense or military use either have fixed sights, or sights with "wings" on the sides for protection (such as those on the M4 carbine). Iron sights used for hunting guns tend to be a compromise. They will be adjustable, but only with tools—generally either a small screwdriver or an allen wrench . They will be compact and heavily built, and designed to lock securely into position. Target sights, on

11570-402: The hood is circular, then this provides a reference where the eye will naturally align one within the other. In the case of handguns , the rear sight will be mounted on the frame (for revolvers , derringers , and single-shots ) or on the slide (for semi-automatic pistols ). Exceptions are possible depending on the type of handgun, e.g. the rear sight on a snub-nose revolver is typically

11700-726: The image through an aperture sight is darker than with an open sight. These sights are used on target rifles of several disciplines and on several military rifles such as the Pattern 1914 Enfield and M1917 Enfield , M1 Garand , the No. 4 series Lee–Enfields , M14 rifle , Stgw 57 , G3 and the M16 series of weapons along with several others. Rifle aperture sights for military combat or hunting arms are not designed for maximal attainable precision like target aperture sights, as these must be usable under suboptimal field conditions. The ghost ring sight

11830-489: The international situation changed from east–west confrontation to one of general uncertainty and instability. After a ruling of the Federal Constitutional Court in 1994 the term "defence" has been defined to not only include protection of the borders of Germany, but also crisis reaction and conflict prevention, or more broadly as guarding the security of Germany anywhere in the world. According to

11960-652: The machine guns for the Bundeswehr during 2014–2017, in a deal that over time could grow to 12,733 MG5s. The MG5 is designed to be modular, was intended to replace the MG3 machine gun that had been in German service since 1959, and started doing so in 2015. According to the Bundeswehr , the MG5 is more accurate than the MG3. The effective range on bipod is therefore greater. The MG5 reduced cyclic rate uses less ammunition and

12090-421: The majority of shooters find the vertical alignment is more precise than other open sights. V-notch and U-notch sights are a variant of the patridge which substitute a V- or U-shaped rear notch. Other common open sight types include the buckhorn , semi-buckhorn , and express . Buckhorn sights have extensions protruding from either side of the rear sight forming a large ring which almost meets directly above

12220-473: The modern German armed forces is the Gelöbnis : the solemn oath made by serving professional soldiers, and recruits ( and formerly conscripts ) during basic training. There are two kinds of oath: a pledge for recruits, and a solemn vow for full-time personnel. The pledge is made annually on 20 July, the date on which a group of Wehrmacht officers attempted to assassinate Adolf Hitler in 1944. Recruits from

12350-582: The more democratic parts of Germany's armed forces history in order to establish a solid civil-military basis to build upon. After an amendment of the Basic Law in 1955, West Germany became a member of NATO. The first public military review took place at Andernach , in January 1956. In 1956, conscription for all men between the ages of 18 and 45 was reintroduced, later augmented by a civil alternative with longer duration (see Conscription in Germany ). In response, East Germany formed its own military force,

12480-435: The natural ability of the eye and brain to easily align concentric circles. Even for the maximum precision, there should still be a significant area of white visible around the bullseye and between the front and rear sight ring (if a front ring is being used). Since the best key to determining center is the amount of light passing through the apertures, a narrow, dim ring of light can actually be more difficult to work with than

12610-470: The options for West German rearmament . The results of a meeting in the monastery of Himmerod formed the conceptual base to build the new armed forces in West Germany. The Amt Blank (Blank Agency, named after its director Theodor Blank ), the predecessor of the later Federal Ministry of Defence , was formed the same year to prepare the establishment of the future forces. Hasso von Manteuffel ,

12740-407: The other hand, are much bulkier and easier to adjust. They generally have large knobs to control horizontal and vertical movement without tools, and often they are designed to be quickly and easily detachable from the gun so they can be stored separately in their own protective case. The most common is a rear sight that adjusts in both directions, though military rifles often have a tangent sight in

12870-411: The rear sight is at significant distance from the shooter's eye. They provide minimum occlusion of the shooter's view, but at the expense of precision. Open sights generally use either a square post or a bead on a post for a front sight. To use the sight, the post or bead is positioned both vertically and horizontally in the center of the rear sight notch. For a center hold, the front sight is positioned on

13000-437: The rear, which a slider on the rear sight has pre-calibrated elevation adjustments for different ranges. With tangent sights, the rear sight is often used to adjust the elevation, and the front the windage. The M16A2 later M16 series rifles have a dial adjustable range calibrated rear sight, and use an elevation adjustable front sight to "zero" the rifle at a given range. The rear sight is used for windage adjustment and to change

13130-531: The rearward and forward cycles of the reciprocating bolt, producing a smooth belt flow. The ejection of empty M13 links is to the right side, and spent cartridge cases are ejected downwards through an ejection port located at the base of the receiver. In its standard form, the MG5 is equipped with closed type iron sights with range settings on the receiver mounted compact rear sight element up to 1,000  m (1,094  yd ) in 100  m (109  yd ) increments. The folding self-illuminating front sight element

13260-410: The round's velocity and external ballistics and thus its trajectory and point of impact. Sight adjustments are orthogonal , so the windage can be adjusted without impacting the elevation, and vice versa. If the firearm is held canted instead of level when fired, the adjustments are no longer orthogonal, so it is essential to keep the firearm level for best accuracy. The downside to adjustable sights

13390-460: The same sight picture , known as cowitnessing , as the primary optical sights. Fixed sights are sights that are not adjustable. For instance, on many revolvers , the rear sight consists of a fixed sight that is a groove milled into the top of the gun's receiver. Adjustable sights are designed to be adjustable for different ranges, for the effect of wind , or to compensate for varying cartridge bullet weights or propellant loadings , which alter

13520-789: The service chiefs form the Military Command Council ( Militärischer Führungsrat ) with functions similar to those of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the United States. Subordinate to the CHOD is the Armed Forces Operational Command ( Einsatzführungskommando ) . For smaller missions one of the service HQs (e.g. the Fleet Command) may exercise command and control of forces in missions abroad. The Bundestag must approve any foreign deployment by

13650-701: The shooter for the best fit to the target being used. Tinted transparent plastic insert elements may also be used, with a hole in the middle; these work the same way as an opaque ring, but provide a less obstructed view of the target. High end target front sight tunnels normally also accept accessories like adjustable aperture and optical systems to ensure optimal sighting conditions for match shooters. Some high end target sight line manufacturers also offer front sights with integrated aperture mechanisms. The use of round rear and front sighting elements for aiming at round targets, like used in ISSF match shooting, takes advantage of

13780-439: The shot will not be accurate. If the post extends over the V or U-notch it will result in a high shot. If the post does not reach the top of the V or U-notch it will result in a low shot. Patridge sights, named after inventor E. E. Patridge, a 19th-century American sportsman, consist of a square or rectangular post and a flat-bottomed square notch and are the most common form of open sights, being preferred for target shooting, as

13910-449: The shot. In the tactical environment, where targets aren't moving across the visual field as quickly, sights do have a role. For many, a fiberoptic front sight is the preferred sighting reference in conjunction with a rear leaf. In this instance, the shotgun is used more like a rifle, allowing intentionally aimed shots. Some even equip their shotguns with open or aperture sights akin to a rifle. Many shotgun bead sights are designed for

14040-433: The sight axis (which is a straight line) and the projectile trajectory (which is a parabolic curve) must be within the same vertical plane to have any chance of intersecting, it will be very difficult to shoot accurately if the sights are not perpendicularly above the gun barrel (a situation known as canting ) when aiming or sighting-in. Rear sights on long guns (such as rifles and carbines ) are usually mounted on

14170-433: The sights for elevation or windage . On many firearms it is the rear sight that is adjustable. For precision shooting applications such as varminting or sniping , the iron sights are usually replaced by a telescopic sight . Iron sights may still be fitted alongside other sighting devices (or in the case of some models of optics, incorporated integrally) for back-up usage, if the primary sights are damaged or lost. In

14300-529: The society. With the reduction, a large amount of the military hardware of the Bundeswehr , as well as of the Volksarmee , had to be disposed of. Most of the armoured vehicles and fighter jet aircraft (the Bundesluftwaffe  – due to reunification – was the only air force in the world that flew both Phantoms and MIGs) were dismantled under international disarmament procedures. Many ships were scrapped or sold, often to

14430-460: The tactical situation at hand, and are therefore referred to as backup iron sights (BUIS). Backup sights are usually mounted via Rail Integration Systems (most often Picatinny rails ) in tandem with optical aiming devices, although "offset" BUISs that are mounted obliquely from the bore axis also exist. When used with non-magnifying optics (e.g. reflex or holographic sights ), the flip-up rear and front elements often are designed to appear in

14560-596: The target has been created. Front sights vary in design but are often a small post, bead, ramp, or ring. There are two main types of rear iron sight: 'open sights', which use an unenclosed notch, and 'aperture sights', which use a circular hole. Nearly all handguns, as well as most civilian, hunting, and police long guns , feature open sights. By contrast, many military service rifles employ aperture sights. The earliest and simplest iron sights were fixed and could not be easily adjusted. Many modern iron sights are designed to be adjustable for sighting in firearms by adjusting

14690-405: The target less blurry when focusing on the front sight. In low light conditions the parallax suppression phenomenon is markedly better. The depth of field looking through the sight remains the same as in bright conditions. This is in contrast to open sights, where the eye's pupil will become wider in low light conditions, meaning a larger aperture and a blurrier target. The downside to this is that

14820-422: The target was surrounded by smaller circles thereby increasing its perceived size. They found that when the target was perceived as larger, performance increased. Aperture sights on military rifles use a larger aperture with a thinner ring, and generally a simple post front sight. Rifles from the late 19th century often featured one of two types of aperture sight called a " tang sight " or a "ladder sight". Since

14950-405: The time 1.3% of GDP, by 6.2% over the following five years, allowing the Ministry of Defense to fully modernize the army. The 2015 reform set a required strength of 185,000 soldiers. Plans were also announced to significantly expand the tank fleet to a potential number of 328, order 131 more Boxer armored personnel carriers , increase the submarine fleet, and to develop a new fighter jet to replace

15080-561: The unit becoming operational at the end of 2019. In February 2016 it was announced that the Seebatallion of the German Navy would start to operate under Royal Dutch Navy command. The Dutch-German military cooperation was seen in 2016 by von der Leyen and Dutch Minister of Defence Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert as an example for setting up a European defense union. According to a policy dictated by von der Leyen in February 2017,

15210-503: The user can adjust the stock to individual ergonomic preferences. By 2022 the MG5 should replace the MG3 in Bundeswehr service. For the development and use of a special bolt for training cartridges the German Federal Government has allocated a budget of 7.3 million Euro. The costs to integrate the MG5 in various tripod and weapon stations mountings in German use are estimated around 60 million Euro. The MG5 uses

15340-544: The way for reunification, the Bundeswehr was to be reduced to 370,000 personnel, of whom no more than 345,000 were to be in the Army and Air Force. This would be Germany's contribution to the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe , and the restrictions would enter into force at the time the CFE treaty would. As a result, the Bundeswehr was significantly reduced, and the former East German Nationale Volksarmee (NVA)

15470-417: The weapon's bore axis : a 'rear sight' nearer (or 'proximal') to the shooter's eye, and a 'front sight' farther forward (or 'distal') near the muzzle . During aiming, the shooter aligns their line of sight past a gap at the center of the rear sight and towards the top edge of the front sight. When the shooter's line of sight, the iron sights, and target are all aligned, a 'line of aim' that points straight at

15600-436: The zero range. While iron sights are very simple, that simplicity also leads to a staggering variety of different implementations. In addition to the purely geometric considerations of the front blade and rear notch, there are some factors that need to be considered when choosing a set of iron sights for a particular purpose. Glare, particularly from the front sight, can be a significant problem with iron sights. The glare from

15730-636: Was acknowledged that most of Germany's fighter aircraft and combat helicopters were not in deployable condition, although the Air Force had almost 38,000 soldiers, and von der Leyen's daycare system to boot. In 2015, as a result of the Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation , Germany announced what was termed "a major increase" in defense spending. In May 2015, the German government approved an increase in defense spending, at

15860-453: Was disbanded, with a portion of its personnel and materiel being absorbed into the Bundeswehr . About 50,000 Volksarmee personnel were integrated into the Bundeswehr on 2 October 1990. This figure was rapidly reduced as conscripts and short-term volunteers completed their service. A number of senior officers (but no generals or admirals) received limited contracts for up to two years to continue daily operations. Personnel remaining in

15990-419: Was first proposed by former Wehrmacht general and Liberal politician Hasso von Manteuffel . The Iron Cross (Eisernes Kreuz) , a symbol that has a long association with the military of Germany, is its official emblem. The Schwarzes Kreuz is derived from the black cross insignia of the medieval Teutonic knights ; since 1813 the symbol has been used to denote a military decoration for all ranks. When

16120-671: Was formed after German citizens had to be rescued from the Rwandan genocide by Belgian Para-Commandos as the Special Commands of the Federal Police were not capable of operating in a war zone. A major event for the German military was a series of defense spending cuts and the suspension of the compulsory conscription for men in 2011. These were introduced by Chancellor Angela Merkel and Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble as part of austerity measures in response to

16250-400: Was not easily met. The originally agreed Bundeswehr zero change requirements were relaxed by the German government for which a corresponding price reduction was agreed upon. In single fire the mean point of impact may shift by a maximum of 3.44 MOA /10 mrad (previously 1.72 MOA/5 mrad) after a barrel change with a barrel of the same length. In burst fire the mean point of impact may shift by

16380-521: Was reorganised with the establishment of the Joint Medical Service . In 2016, the Bundeswehr created its youngest branch the Cyber and Information Space Command . The Minister of Defence is supported by the Chief of Defense (CHOD, Generalinspekteur ) and the service chiefs ( Inspekteure : Inspector of the Army , Inspector of the Air Force , Inspector of the Navy ) and their respective staffs in his or her function as commander-in-chief. The CHOD and

16510-506: Was suspended, the wording of the ceremonial vow for full-time recruits and volunteer personnel is: Serving Bundeswehr personnel replace " Ich gelobe , ..." with " Ich schwöre , ..." ("I swear..."). After World War II the responsibility for the security of Germany as a whole rested with the four occupying Allied Powers : the United States, the United Kingdom, France and the Soviet Union . Germany had been without armed forces since

16640-856: Was tasked and equipped to defend the Baltic Approaches , to provide escort reinforcement and resupply shipping in the North Sea and to contain the Soviet Baltic Fleet . During the Soviet-Afghan War in the 1980s, German special forces of the Bundeswehr were deployed as part of a covert operation. During this time, Operation Summer Rain played a significant role. The German Federal Intelligence Service (BND) conducted this secret mission, where special forces were infiltrated from West Germany to Pakistan and then into Afghanistan . The primary task of these special units

16770-504: Was to be their orientation as citizen defenders of a democratic state, fully subordinate to the political leadership of the country. A personnel screening committee was created to make sure that the future colonels and generals of the armed forces were those whose political attitude and experience would be acceptable to the new democratic state. There were a few key reformers, such as General Ulrich de Maiziere , General Graf von Kielmansegg , and Graf von Baudissin , who reemphasised some of

16900-404: Was to clandestinely acquire Soviet weapon technology, including armor for combat helicopters, vehicles, landmines, modern ammunition such as uranium rounds, rocket warheads, night vision devices, and navigation technology. Collaboration with the insurgent Mujahideen was central to this covert operation. During this time the Bundeswehr did not take part in combat operations. However, there were

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