Heckler & Koch HK21

The HK21 is a light machine gun powered belt of ammunition, firing rounds of caliber 7.62mm NATO. Designed by German arms manufacturer Heckler & Koch. The weapon can be fired in a semi-automatic or automatic. The HK21 was developed from the automatic rifle G3. Sharing this with several components, including the firing mechanism and backflow. The HK21 can be used with its integral bipod or a tripod.

Production
The HK21 was initially produced in Portugal in 1968 In Factory Arm Silver, Which already manufactures the shotgun G3. This production was designed to equip Portuguese Army with a machine gun lighter than MG42 then in service and more compatible with G3 rifles that equipped the Battlegroups in active service in War Overseas. Later the model was also being manufactured in their own Germany, in Greece and Mexico.

Variants

 * HK21: Basic version with ammunition 7.62 x 51 mm NATO, fed by belt or charger;
 * HK21A1: Variant of the HK21, with an improved system for feeding ammunition belt, but without feeding capacity per carrier;
 * HK21E: Development of HK21A1 with a longer tube, new grip, new trigger and ability to shoot bursts of three shots;
 * HK11A1: HK21A1 the parallel version, but with the ability to feed only charger;
 * HK11E: HK21E the parallel version, but with the ability to feed only charger;
 * HK13E: HK11E version similar to but with a new camera to shoot the ammunition 5.56 x 45 mm NATO;
 * HK23E: HK21E version similar to but with a new camera to shoot the ammunition 5.56 x 45 mm NATO.

Use

 * The HK21 is in service in Portugal (Called HK21 m/968) In Paraguay, In special forces Germany (Called G8) And in some countries Africa and Southwest Asia
 * The HK21 A1 is in service in Brazil at BOPE
 * The HK21E is in service in Mexico and in some other countries