Heckler & Koch G36

The Heckler & Kock G36 is a German-made assault rifle chambered for the 5.56×45mm NATO cartridge. It was developed as a replacement for the heavier 7.62mm G3 battle rifle, and was adopted by the Bundeswehr as a replacement for their G3s in 1997.

Overview[]

The G36 was developed from the venerable 7.62mm G3 battle rifle (also developed and manufactured by Heckler & Koch). There are several different models in production, all with a common modular design that allows different barrel lengths and accessories to be interchanged quickly and easily. As with many Heckler & Koch weapons it has proved very popular and can be found in use with numerous militaries and law enforcement agencies around the globe.

History[]

G36C carbines fitted with the carry handle and integrated scope of the G36E, Surefire tactical flashlights and lime green laser lights were used by Weyland Industries mercenaries on October 10, 2004 during the exploration of the Yautja Pyramid discovered by Weyland Industries under Bouvet Island, Antarctica. However, the 5.56×45mm NATO rounds had little to no effect on the armor of the three Yautja that attacked the mercenaries.

Notable Users[]

Max Stafford and his Weyland mercenaries all carried compact G36C carbines during the expedition to Bouvet Island. Their weapons were fitted with the carry handle and integrated scope of the G36E, along with Surefire tactical flashlights and lime green laser lights.

Many of the operatives employed by Project Stargazer were armed with G36K assault rifles, often fitted with flashlight attachments.

Behind the Scenes[]

G36C used in AVP — An image from the prop company responsible for designing the firing G36Cs of what is presumably a prop used in the film.^[1]

The non-firing G36C (and Desert Eagle) props used in Alien vs. Predator were supplied by airsoft store Wolf Armouries,^[1] located in London, England,^[2] who later offered to recreate the prop ("bar a few very minor details") for interested clients via their website.^[1]

The G36C's appearance in Alien vs. Predator is one of the earliest appearances of the carbine in film, preceded only by Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life (2003) and Bad Boys II (2003).^[3] It has gone on to appear in many films, television series and video games since,^[3] often being used due to its perceived futuristic appearance.

In Alien Wars, the 2008 and 2012 versions of the Alien War attraction, G36V rifles — formerly known as the G36E (Export) — were used to replace the M41A Pulse Rifles used in the original, as the attraction was no longer tied with the Alien films. The G36 was likely chosen because of the prominent carrying handle on the rifle making it somewhat similar to the M41A. The G36 could have also been used as a reference to Alien vs. Predator.

Trivia[]

The G36 is one of several Heckler & Koch weapons to appear in the Alien, Predator and Alien vs. Predator franchises; the others are the VP70, the HK45, the MP5, the MP7, the UMP and the G3.