Modern Warfare 3 All Killstreaks Ranked

One of the core tenants of Call of Duty games are how well you can customize your loadouts before heading off into combat. Of all the options to choose, your killstreaks can be some of the most important because that’s how you can reward yourself and your whole team for your own success. When you can only have so few at a time, it can be tough to make a decision, so here’s all of the killstreaks in MW3 ranked from worst to best.

Modern Warfare 3 Killstreaks Ranked From Worst to Best

Keep in mind that you can only have 3 killstreaks equipped at a time, but you get different ones based off of how many kills you got. You’ll get to use your killstreaks in the order that you earn them, so you won’t be able to use something with a higher required number of kills before you’ve gotten your earlier rewards.

You can also switch them from killstreaks to scorestreaks in the loadout menu, so you’ll get your rewards not based off kills, but off of the points you accumulate while you’re alive. This is handier for the objective based game modes more than just a standard deathmatch, but can alter the way you aim to play the game. You can change this using the toggle at the bottom of the killstreaks screen.

8. SAM Turret – 4 Kills or 500 Points

“SAM” stands for Surface-to-Air Missile, and it shoots just that. If there are enemy aircraft in the sky giving you a hard time, you can drop one of these to target and shoot down those pesky birds. They aren’t any good against ground forces, so be aware of that before putting it into your arsenal. If nobody uses aircraft during a game, there’s really no point in having a SAM Turret and it might feel like a waste of a killstreak.

7. UAV – 4 Kills or 500 Points

The simple UAV. Once you’ve got it, you can activate it to reveal the location of enemies on your radar. It’s a great way to uncover where some people might be hiding, but that greatly depends on how much you use your minimap. On larger maps, the UAV is helpful to get an idea of where to find clusters of people and where to avoid, but on smaller maps there might not be as much need to bring one out.

6. Guardian-SC – 5 Kills or 625 Points

While the Guardian-SC looks like a devastatingly loud speaker on a tripod, it can be a handy tool if you’re in the right spot. You can set it up and it will let out a beam that doesn’t kill enemies, but it can stop them in their tracks. It functions pretty much the same way as a stun grenade does, limiting movement speed, blurring a target’s vision and removing their HUD. However, it stays in one position so you’ll have to think carefully about where to set it up.

5. Mosquito Drone – 4 Kills or 500 Points

The mosquito drone is a nifty little addition to your arsenal, allowing you to set it to patrol an area looking for enemies. Once it comes in contact with someone in range, it dive bombs them and explodes on impact, all without your user input. Using these is a great way to draw an enemy out of cover, guard an objective or just ruin someone’s day.

4. Counter UAV – 5 Kills or 625 Points

If you like messing with the enemy team before you take them out, then you might be interested in using the Counter UAV. It serves the exact opposite purpose of the UAV, scrambling the minimaps for the opposing team rather than giving you more to see on your own. If you’re looking to flank or set up a push with your team, the Counter UAV can be useful for getting the drop on your opponents. For general gameplay though, it isn’t going to be the most powerful tool you can bring with you.

3. Juggernaut Recon – 8 Kills or 1000 Points

The Juggernaut Recon gives a great incentive to dive into a group of enemies once you’ve got it equipped. Not only do you get a smoke grenade, Haymaker and Riot Shield, but you’re also given a radar that can tell you where the enemies are hiding from you. That way, you don’t have to worry as much that people are going to jump out on you and waste your killstreak, but you can become a real force to be reckoned with. The directionality of the Riot Shield does limit you to some degree, so be aware of that before surrounding yourself with enemies.

2. SAE – 7 Kills or 875 Points

The SAE is a powerful airstrike that you can call in on pre-determined targets and deal massive devastation to anyone and anything that gets caught in the crossfire. If you’ve got a good idea of where a group is hiding out, you can call the SAE on their location and hit them with a barrage of explosive force. Being able to aim the attacks makes them devastating in the hands of someone who has an eye on the enemy team, or if there’s an active UAV on your team.

1. Remote Turret – 7 Kills or 875 Points

The remote turret can be an incredibly useful tool to have in your arsenal of killstreaks. It can send plenty of lead downrange without you needing to be in the same spot. These are great for pinning enemies down and keeping them pressured, or to keep on an objective and protect it while none of your teammates are around. If you’ve got someone with a Guardian-SC as well, you can put them together for a stunning, devastating combination.

That’s it for our ranking of all the killstreaks in Modern Warfare 3 ranked from worst to best. This list is certainly subject to change after the beta or once they’ve started updating and changing the way certain things function. If you’re looking for more MW3 guides like dates for the beta or how to level up fast, keep checking back here.