List of weapons of West Germany

This is a list of weapons utilized by the armed forces of West Germany. West Germany was formed as a result of the division of Germany following World War II. Following a 10 year period of demilitarization, the Federal Republic of Germany rearmed and joined NATO in 1955. As a frontline state bordering the Iron Curtain, West Germany's Cold War arsenal drew on both domestically developed weaponry as well as extensive imports from NATO allies, particularly the United States.

Small arms

Rifles

• FN FAL ^[1] - Adopted in 1956 following the beginning of West Germany's rearmament in 1955 and designated G1. Replaced by the G3 beginning in 1959.
• Heckler & Koch G3 ^[2] - West Germany's primary service rifle from its entry into service in 1959 until its replacement in the 1990s.

Sniper rifles

• G3SG/1 - Developed in 1972 and based on the G3 battle rifle, this served as Germany's primary sniper rifle. Replaced by the MSG90 beginning in 1990.

Sidearms

• Walther P38 ^[3] - Reintroduced from WWII in 1957 and saw service until 1963. Replaced by the P1, an improved variant that served as the West Germany's standard-issue sidearm for the remainder of the Cold War.

Submachine guns

• Walther MP - Developed in 1963. Largely outclassed and replaced by the MP5.
• Heckler & Koch MP5 - Developed in 1966, this would go on to serve as West Germany's primary submachine gun.

Machine guns

• Rheinmetall MG 3 ^[4] - Modernized variant of the WWII-era MG 42. Served as West Germany's primary general-purpose machine gun from the late 1950s onward.
• Heckler & Koch HK21 - A general-purpose machine gun developed in 1961, based on the G3 battle rifle.

Grenade launchers

• Heckler & Koch HK69A1 - A 40 mm standalone grenade launcher created in 1979 and adopted into service with the German Army in the 1980s.

Anti-tank weapons

• PzF 44 ^[5]
• MILAN ^[6]

Artillery

Towed

• M114 155 mm howitzer ^[7]
• FH70 ^[8]

Self-propelled

• M7 Priest - M7B2 variant. ^[9]
• M44 self-propelled howitzer ^[9]
• M52 self-propelled howitzer ^[9]
• M55 self-propelled howitzer ^[9]
• M107 self-propelled gun ^[10]
• M109 self-propelled howitzer ^[11]
• M110 self-propelled howitzer ^[12]

Self-propelled rocket artillery

• Light Artillery Rocket System ^[13]

Anti-aircraft

Self-propelled anti-aircraft guns

• M16 multiple gun motor carriage - M16A1 variant.
• M42 Duster ^[14]
• Flakpanzer Gepard ^[15]

Surface-to-air missile (SAM) systems

• MIM-23 HAWK
• Roland

Armored fighting vehicles (AFVs)

Main battle tanks

• M47 Patton ^[16]
• M48 Patton ^[17]
• Leopard 1 ^[18]
• Leopard 2 ^[19]

Light tanks

• M41 Walker Bulldog ^[20]

Tank destroyers

• Kanonenjagdpanzer ^[21]
• Raketenjagdpanzer 1 ^[22]
• Raketenjagdpanzer 2 ^[23]
• Jaguar 1
• Jaguar 2

Infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs)

• Schützenpanzer SPz 11-2 Kurz ^[24]
• Schützenpanzer Lang HS.30 ^[25]
• Marder (IFV) ^[26]

Armored personnel carriers (APCs)

• M113
• Transportpanzer Fuchs

Armored weapons carriers (AWCs)

• Wiesel AWC

Reconnaissance vehicles

• Spähpanzer Luchs

References

1. Association, National Rifle. "An Official Journal Of The NRA | The FN FAL: 5 Facts You Might Not Know". An Official Journal Of The NRA. Retrieved 2022-01-13.
2. "Heckler & Koch HK G3". www.militaryfactory.com. Retrieved 2022-01-13.
3. "Post-war career: The Pistole P1 of the Bundeswehr compared to the P.38 of the Wehrmacht.38 der Wehrmacht". all4shooters. Retrieved 2022-01-13.
4. "Rheinmetall MG-3 - General-purpose machine gun". Archived from the original on 2023-01-29. Retrieved 2022-01-13.
5. "Dynamit Nobel Panzerfaust 2 (PzF 44 2A1)". www.militaryfactory.com. Retrieved 2022-01-16.
6. "MILAN - Anti-tank guided missile". Archived from the original on August 2, 2016. Retrieved 2022-01-16.
7. "Arms transfer database". armstransfers.sipri.org. Retrieved 2025-08-28.
8. "FH-70 - 155 mm towed howitzer". Archived from the original on 2023-03-16. Retrieved 2022-01-16.
9. "Panzerhaubitzen der Bundeswehr M7-M52-M44-M55-M109Modern German Armoured Self-Propelled Howitzers - TANKOGRAD Publishing - Verlag Jochen Vollert - Militärfahrzeug". tankograd.com. Retrieved 2025-08-28.
10. "M107 self propelled gun (1960)". www.tanks-encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2022-01-16.
11. "M109 Paladin". Tank Encyclopedia. 2015-10-08. Retrieved 2022-01-16.
12. "M110 SPA". www.militaryfactory.com. Retrieved 2022-01-16.
13. "LARS". Weaponsystems.net. Retrieved 2022-01-16.
14. Peter Blume (2006). Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft Gun/Missile Tanks of the Modern German Army. Militärfahrzeug Spezial. Erlangen: Tankograd Publishing. pp. 7, 9.
15. "Flugabwehrkanonenpanzer Gepard (Flakpanzer)". www.militaryfactory.com. Retrieved 2022-01-16.
16. "M47 Patton". Tank Encyclopedia. 2014-11-18. Retrieved 2022-01-18.
17. "M48 Patton". www.militaryfactory.com. Retrieved 2022-01-18.
18. "Krauss-Maffei Leopard 1". RAF Museum. Retrieved 2022-01-18.
19. "West German cold war KMW Leopard 2 MBT (1978". tanks-encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2022-01-18.
20. "M41 Walker Bulldog Light Tank". www.inetres.com. Retrieved 2022-01-18.
21. "Kanonenjagdpanzer". Weaponsystems.net. Retrieved 2022-01-18.
22. "Raketenjagdpanzer 1 (RakJPz 1)". www.militaryfactory.com. Retrieved 2022-01-18.
23. "Raketenjagdpanzer 2". Weaponsystems.net. Retrieved 2022-01-18.
24. "Schutzenpanzer Kurz 11-2 (1958)". www.tanks-encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2022-01-18.
25. "Schützenpanzer Lang HS.30 Armoured Personnel Carrier". TankNutDave.com. Retrieved 2022-01-18.
26. Newdick, Thomas. "Germany Still Can't Give Up Its Marder Infantry Fighting Vehicles After Half A Century". The Drive. Retrieved 2022-01-18.