In this episode, we're taking a look at the G36 platform - namely, the G36C and MG36. The G36, or 'Gewehr sechs-und-dreißig' hails from Germany - designed and manufactured by Heckler und Koch. The G36 platform was designed in the early 1990s, entered production in 1996 - and in 1997, was adopted by the Bundeswehr. The G36C made its first appearance in Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, and returned in Modern Warfare 3. The C stands for Compact - as it's a subcarbine-length variant of the G36 rifle. The MG36 is the Light Support Weapon variant, with a heavier barrel and bipod making it more suitable for sustained fire. It made its debut appearance in Modern Warfare 3. The G36 platform replaced the G3 rifle in service with the Bundeswehr, which was introduced in 1959. The G3 was originally a Spanish design, namely the CETME rifle, named for the establishment who designed the weapon - the 'Centro de Estudios Técnicos de Materiales Especiales', or Centre for Technical Studies of Special Materials. The CETME and later G3 rifles both fire 7.62mm NATO rounds - and as such are classified as battle rifles, in the same category as the FN FAL. The 1970s saw a transition towards intermediate calibres, and so there was a growing desire to replace the G3. The G11 was intended to be West Germany's new service rifle - a unique design using caseless 4.73mm ammunition. Sadly, the project was scuppered during the political changes during the German reunification, and the G11 didn't see widespread adoption. During this time, H&K offered a couple of rifles in the NATO intermediate calibre - the HK33, developed in the 1960s, was essentially a smaller version of the G3 rifle intended for export. The G41 was a more modern version, introduced in 1981 - but neither this nor the HK33 were deemed suitable replacements for the G3, and instead were bound solely for export. The newly united Germany had a desperate need for a new 5.56mm assault rifle, and in 1990 H&K would embark