« | The Mk30 HMG is a static machine gun used by infantry and support. Several projects were launched to replace the Browning M2, but each resulted in them being shelved for various reasons. The Mk30 made it through. Compared to the M2, it's lighter and more portable with better accuracy, utilizing new materials, electronic targeting help and a new tripod, trading portability for rate of fire. Based in the previous concept of the XM307/XM312, the Mk30 is chambered for .50 BMG cartridges with a rate of fire of 350 rpm and effective range up to 2000 meters. Mk30 also exists in an automatic/remotely controlled variant which is labeled Mk30A. Field Manual
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Mk30 .50 | |
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Faction | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Type | Heavy Machine Gun |
Calibre | .50 BMG |
Magazine capacity |
100 |
Dispersion | 0.00096 rad |
Variants | Mk30A, Mk32 |
Games |
The Mk30 is a .50 cal heavy machine gun used by several BLUFOR, OPFOR and Independent factions in ArmA 3.
Overview
The Mk30 is a static/vehicle-mounted heavy machine gun that is chambered to fire the .50 BMG round.
It can attain a maximum fire rate of up to 500 rounds per minute with a muzzle velocity of 910 m/s, and has a variable ammunition capacity depending on the platform that it is being utilised on.
It has the ability to switch between a zoom of 1x or 2x magnification strength, and can toggle either normal day or black/white-hot thermal vision modes.
Both vehicle-mounted and portable variants feed from individual 100-round belt boxes and carry either two or three more in reserve (with a combined total of 300/400 rounds).

Easy to carry and simple to set up, a two-man team can quickly establish a defensive position at almost any location with the Mk30.
The Mk30 serves as the basic HMG utilised by the three main factions in ArmA 3. Unlike its outdated predecessor, the Mk30 uses an integrated fire control sight that has a built-in laser rangefinder and automatic zeroing. Firing the powerful .50 BMG round, the Mk30 provides its operator with the ability to lay down suppressive and fairly accurate fire at ranges of between 500 and up to 2,000 metres.
It can be mounted onto either lowered or raised tripods; the former limiting its horizontal aiming arc to a maximum of 40 degrees in both directions unless disassembled and re-assembled to face another direction, and the latter providing a full 360 degree rotation arc.
The lowered Mk30 has less clearance and a restricted aiming arc, but compensates for it by making the gunner less visible and therefore harder to see and hit. The raised Mk30 on the other hand, provides better visibility and clearance over terrain objects (like rocks and grass) but in turn makes the gunner more vulnerable to enemy fire.
As with all static weapons, the Mk30 can be flipped upright if it is knocked over from an explosion or being crashed into by vehicles, or due to being assembled on either unstable/sloped terrain.
Variants
Mk30A
Mk30A .50 | |
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Faction | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Type | Autonomous Heavy Machine Gun |
Calibre | .50 BMG |
Magazine capacity |
100 |
Dispersion | 0.00096 rad |
Variants | Mk30, Mk32A |
Games |
The Mk30A is a modified Mk30 HMG that has been converted into an automatic sentry gun.
Unlike the conventional Mk30, the Mk30A removes the need for a gunner to operate and can function autonomously without the need for human input. The turret has access to the same pool of reserve ammunition as manned Mk30s, though the Mk30A does not need to be manually reloaded unless it runs out of belts.
It cannot be interacted with or controlled manually unless the operator has access to a UAV Terminal and connects to it directly. It will, however, automatically fire upon on any non-aligned hostile targets acquired by its sensor camera. This camera has access to the same thermal and regular vision modes on manually-operated Mk30s.
The Mk30A can be disassembled and re-assembled in the same way as the standard Mk30 HMG. Disassembled Mk30As are split into two components comprising of the backpack and the lowered tripod.
Like all autonomous vehicles, UAV/UGV Operators are able to hack the Mk30A depending on their side relation to the original owner of the turret.
Ammunition
Round name | Base damage value | Aerodynamic friction | Initial velocity (m/s) | Penetration depth (mm) |
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12.7×99 mm NATO | 30 | -0.00086 | 910 | 35.49 |
There are a total of twelve belts that the Mk30 can feed from, though the static turret version is only capable of utilising 100-round belt boxes (by default).
All are loaded with basic 12.7×99 mm NATO (.50 BMG) ammunition unless specified otherwise:
100Rnd
Standard 100-round belt box.
It is available in four tracer colour varieties; white, red, green and yellow which are faction-specific. The fourth round fired will always consist of a coloured tracer. However, there are no dedicated belts that are fully loaded with tracers.
200Rnd
200-round belt box. Similar to regular 100-round belts, it features four tracer varieties but only the third round will consist of a coloured tracer instead.
It is otherwise identical in all other aspects (aside from its belt capacity).
500Rnd
Identical to regular 100-round belts, just with a total of 500 linked rounds instead. It is available in the same colour varieties.
Trivia
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Gallery
External links
See also
Variants
- Mk32 (Automatic grenade launcher model)
Static weapons of comparable role and configuration
- M2 (Alternate AAF/LDF/FIA/Syndikat counterpart)
- KORD (Russian Armed Forces/Takistani Army counterpart, ArmA 2 only)
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Handguns | 4-five .45 • P07 9 mm* • Spectrum Device |
Submachine guns | Vermin .45 |
Carbines | MXC 6.5 mm* |
Assault rifles | MX series (MX*, MX 3GL*) • SDAR 5.56 mm • SPAR-16 series* (SPAR-16*, SPAR-16 GL*) |
Designated marksman rifles | Mk-I EMR 7.62 mm • MAR-10 .338* • MXM 6.5 mm • SPAR-17 7.62 mm* |
Sniper rifles | M320 LRR .408 |
Squad automatic weapons | MX SW 6.5 mm* • SPAR-16S 5.56 mm* |
Machineguns | SPMG .338 |
Launchers | MAAWS Mk4 Mod 1* • PCML* • Titan MPRL • Titan MPRL Compact |
Static | Mk6 Mortar • Mk30 • Mk32 • Remote Designator • Static Titan Launcher (AA, AT) |
(Parenthesis) denote variants. * denotes weapons also used or are exclusive to the CTRG sub-faction. Marksmen DLC | Apex DLC | Tanks DLC |
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Handguns | Rook-40 9 mm • Zubr .45 |
Submachine guns | Sting 9 mm |
Carbines | Katiba Carbine 6.5 mm |
Assault rifles | CAR-95 series (CAR-95, CAR-95 GL) • Katiba 6.5 mm (Katiba GL) • SDAR 5.56 mm • Type 115 6.5 mm* |
Designated marksman rifles | ASP-1 Kir 12.7 mm • CMR-76 6.5 mm • Cyrus 9.3 mm • Rahim 7.62 mm |
Sniper rifles | GM6 Lynx 12.7 mm |
Squad automatic weapons | CAR-95-1 5.8 mm • Zafir 7.62 mm |
Machineguns | Navid 9.3 mm |
Launchers | 9M135 Vorona • RPG-42 • Titan MPRL • Titan MPRL Compact |
Static | Mk6 Mortar • Mk30 • Mk32 • Remote Designator • Static Titan Launcher (AA, AT) |
(Parenthesis) denote variants. * denotes weapons exclusive to the Viper sub-faction. Marksmen DLC | Apex DLC | Tanks DLC |
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Handguns | ACP-C2 .45 |
Submachine guns | PDW2000 9 mm |
Carbines | Mk20C 5.56 mm |
Assault rifles | Mk20 5.56 mm (Mk20 EGLM) • SDAR 5.56 mm |
Designated marksman rifles | Mk18 ABR 7.62 mm |
Sniper rifles | GM6 Lynx 12.7 mm |
Squad automatic weapons | Mk200 6.5 mm |
Launchers | MAAWS Mk4 Mod 0 • PCML • RPG-42 • Titan MPRL • Titan MPRL Compact |
Static | M2 • Mk6 Mortar • Mk30 • Mk32 • Static Titan Launcher (AA, AT) |
(Parenthesis) denote variants. Apex DLC | Tanks DLC |
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Handguns | 4-five .45 |
Submachine guns | ADR-97 5.7 mm |
Assault rifles | Promet series (Promet, Promet GL, Promet SG) |
Designated marksman rifles | Promet MR 6.5 mm |
Squad automatic weapons | Mk200 6.5 mm |
Launchers | MAAWS Mk4 Mod 1 • PCML • Titan MPRL • Titan MPRL Compact |
Static | M2 • Mk6 Mortar • Mk30 • Mk32 • Static Titan Launcher (AA, AT) |
(Parenthesis) denote variants. Apex DLC | Tanks DLC | Contact DLC |