Few games have the same satisfying reward system as a Killstreak from the Call of Duty franchise. Raining death or being a nuisance to the enemy team is one of the best parts of the multiplayer, and Modern Warfare 3 has some choice streak options to choose from. We’ll list all of them here.
All Killstreaks in CoD MW3
Like Modern Warfare 2, Killstreaks in MW3 are organized by the number of kills or the amount of score you need to earn them. Lower-power streaks cost less than something that can alter the course of a match, and so on. We’ll list out the streaks by their cost here.
The biggest problem for me is you can’t stack multiple streaks of the same tier. Though, streaks are equitably divided enough that it doesn’t matter too much. To swap between Killstreaks and Scorestreaks, simply press the R2 or right trigger button. You can turn them on and off on your mouse and keyboard by clicking the Scorestreaks toggle at the bottom left of the screen.
One last note, and one I think is a massive mistake: you only get a single set of streaks per life, and you can’t stack them. Any streak you earn in the last life will carry over. If you earn them again in the next life, they’ll overwrite. Worse, if you do use them, that particular tier of streak will be removed from your current allotment. I know it’s a balance issue, but it just feels bad. In any event, here are all the killstreaks available in MW3.
UAV: 4 Kills, 500 Score
The UAV, a series staple since streaks were introduced in Call of Duty 4, does what it always has: reveal enemies on the minimap even if they aren’t shooting. Any player wearing the Ghost T/V Camo won’t show up so long as they’re moving. But if they’re sitting still or running something else, they’ll be a big red dot to chase.
Mosquito Drone: 4 Kills, 500 Score
If you played Black Ops 2, you undoubtedly know and hate how this drone works. Like the Hunter Killer from BO2, the Mosquito Drone circles the area surrounding its launch point. Then, it dive bombs the nearest enemy. It explodes on impact and likely kills whatever is unlucky enough to get hit by it.
SAM Turret: 4 Kills, 500 Score
Pesky UAVs getting you down, and have a squad keeping your radar updated? Run the SAM Turret and take out up to three things, or deal some serious damage to heavier hardware.
Bomb Drone: 4 Kills, 500 Score
As its name suggests, the Bomb Drone is a remote-controlled drone with a bomb attached to it. When you activate the streak, you take control of the drone and have about 30 seconds to find a target and detonate. Enemies can shoot the thing out of the sky, and it’s not particularly fast, so you’ll need to be sneaky to use it well.
Note: This killstreak is only unlockable via the Armory and requires five Daily Challenges to obtain.
Care Package: 5 Kills 625 Score
Call of Duty veterans should be well familiar with the Care Package. When called in, the airdrop box contains a random Killstreak for you or anyone else to pick up. The streak provided is usually small, like a UAV or a Cluster Mine. But it can be up to the mighty Juggernaut if you’re lucky. Just be sure to call it in a safe spot, or else an enemy player take it for their own.
Note: This killstreak is only unlockable via the Armory and requires two Daily Challenges to obtain.
Guardian-SC: 5 Kills, 625 Score
Another returning streak from Black Ops 2, the Guardian is much the same in MW3, save that it’s now non-lethal. Any enemy hit by the wave will be slowed, thrown off their aim, and lose their UI. The effect is subdued compared to what we had in BO2, but it’s still a good option for cutting off a particular sightline or objective for a moment.
Counter UAV: 5 Kills, 625 Score
The Counter UAV is more powerful in MW3 than it’s been in a while. With the return of enemy red dots on the minimap, the CUAV is a massive boost to your team’s effectiveness. It’s also a great pairing with the standard UAV for building toward a more expensive streak or simply leveling up more quickly.
Cluster Mine: 6 Kills, 750 Score
In a close-quarters map, the Cluster Mine’s ability to spread five high-explosive charges in a hallway or high-traffic area cannot be overstated. The problem I have with it is how you’ll usually only get a single kill, as the mines aren’t quite far enough away from each other to not all go off at once.
Note: This killstreak is only unlockable via the Armory and requires eight Daily Challenges to obtain.
Precision Airstrike: 6 Kills, 750 Score
Returning for the third time in three Modern Warfare games, the Precision Airstrike calls in a two-plane gun run on a point you select. And while it’s actually much less precise than it should be, if you call it in on an objective or a high-traffic path, it can clear entire sections of a map.
Cruise Missile: 6 Kills, 750 Score
It’s not the Predator Missile, but that doesn’t stop the MW3 Cruise MIssile from being one of the most consistent mid-level streaks in the game. You call down a player-controlled missile from on high and guide it to its target. It can be stopped by a humble window on, say Terminal, but if you can put it in the right spot, it’s devastating for its cost.
SAE: 7 Kills, 875 Score
First introduced in Modern Warfare 2, the SAE is back in the sequel, dropping a heavy bombing run on three large locations on the map. With many of MW3‘s refreshed maps being on the smaller side with lots of open space, multikills are fairly easy to get with a well-placed carpet bombing.
Mortar Strike: 7 Kills, 875 Score
With the Mortar Strike, you use a laser designator to point where you want three volleys of mortar shells to land. It’s crude, imprecise, and incredibly effective. If you want to clear an objective and keep it clear for a good 15 seconds, there aren’t many better fire-and-forget options in MW3. You can kill yourself with it plenty, too. Sometimes, the sacrifice of a streak is worth it.
Note: This killstreak is only unlockable via the Armory and requires five Daily Challenges to obtain.
Overwatch Helo: 8 Kills, 1,000 Score
The Overwatch Helo is one of the best bang-for-your-buck streaks in Modern Warfare 3. Once called in, the chopper will follow around above you, shooting at any enemy that moves. It lasts for a few minutes as well. This means you can wrack up five or more additional kills — some of which might be the Helo protecting you.
Juggernaut Recon: 8 Kills, 1,000 Score
Equipped with a sturdier Riot Shield and a Haymaker secondary rather than a minigun, the Juggernaut Recon plays a more supportive role. It’s still next to impossible to take down single-handedly. However, if the Juggernaut player surrounds themselves with their teammates and plays the body block, the enemy team will rue the day it allowed someone to get this streak.
Wheelson-HS: 8 Kills, 1,000 Score
If you ever wanted a hyper-lethal RC car, the Wheelson is the streak for you. When used, it calls in a tiny tank with a mounted launcher and machine gun that lasts several minutes or until destroyed. Left unchecked, the Wheelson can easily rack up five or more kills with you in a cozy corner someplace. You’ll need to be careful with some of the wide-open maps in MW3, but it’s still a good old time using this streak.
Note: This killstreak is only unlockable via the Armory and requires eight Daily Challenges to obtain.
VTOL Jet: 10 Kills, 1,250 Score
The VTOL is the new Modern Warfare series’ version of the Harrier from MW2 (2009) and functions much the same. Designate where it’s to come in, and two airstrikes will drop, followed by the jet itself hovering over your chosen spot. The VTOL prioritizes the enemy player with the highest score on the other team (ask me how I know), but can shoot at any enemy if they’re close enough. You can also have the jet move to your current location with a button press.
Note: This killstreak is only unlockable via the Armory and requires eight Daily Challenges to obtain.
Carpet Bomb: 10 Kills, 1,250 Score
After telling the huge airstrike the angle and location of the bombing, a giant stealth bomber flies over the map and drops explosives along the entire line you designated. When used on a more wide-open level, this streak can get an easy multikill. It also shakes everyone’s screen something fierce, which makes me not want to use it, but it’s satisfying when I do.
Emergency Airdrop: 10 Kills, 1,250 Score
Probably the simplest high-end streak, the Emergency Airdrop calls in three Care Packages at the location of your choice. The same rules apply: anyone can take the boxes with the streaks, so be smart about where you call them.
Note: This killstreak is only unlockable via the Armory and requires eight Daily Challenges to obtain.
Gunship: 12 Kills, 1,500 Score
The MW3 AC-130 Gunship might not be as viscerally enjoyable as the one from MW2 (2009), but it remains about as lethal. You have about 90 seconds to rain death in the form of 25mm, 45mm, and 105mm projectiles. You can easily clear a map multiple times over in a single Gunship. On Ground War, more than 20 kills is entirely possible.
Note: This killstreak is only unlockable via the Armory and requires five Daily Challenges to obtain.
Advanced UAV: 12 Kills, 1,500 Score
This isn’t the Infinity Ward Advanced UAV: this is the Blackbird or Orbital VSAT from the Black Ops series. With this streak in the air, the minimap will always show where your enemies are and in which direction they’re moving. It also can’t be shot down. This gives your team an advantage that has no direct counter save for the Ghost Tac A/V perk.
Note: This killstreak is only unlockable via the Armory and requires three Daily Challenges to obtain.
Chopper Gunner: 12 Kills, 1,500 Score
A Call of Duty classic, the Chopper Gunner in MW3 follows the same rules as previous Modern Warfare titles. Once you gain control, you have about 45 seconds to fly around the map and shoot explosive shells at every enemy that moves. Unlike the Gunship, you have full control over where the Chopper Gunner goes, letting you sniff out cheeky campers wherever they hide.
Juggernaut: 15 Kills, 1,875 Score
Unlike the Juggernaut Recon, this more expensive Juggernaut comes with a minigun, heavier armor, and plays heavy metal music for the entire server while active. It will take several enemy players almost their entire ammunition stock to put a dent in the Juggernaut, and should you die while in it, you drop the minigun for anyone to pick up. The Jugg’s health doesn’t regenerate, so you’ll eventually end up at the respawn screen, but it was probably worth the terror you brought to the battlefield.
Those are all the Killstreaks available in Modern Warfare 3. It’s a solid selection, with some fun options as well as some that will likely make the enemy team rage quit in frustration. For more on MW3, check out our guides on all the maps in the game, all the Mastery camos, and more in our guides hub.
Published: Nov 11, 2023 11:13 pm