Infantry
Support Weapons
Machine Guns
L7 GPMG (SF)
L7A2 GPMG configured for the SF Role
Weight: 23.73kg (With Tripod) Range: 1,800m
Practical
ROF: 200rpm
The L7 GPMG can be mounted onto a tripod which
converts it into a Support Fire heavy machine gun. The tripod is
fitted with a recoil buffer and can be fitted with the same dial C2
sight that is fitted to the 81mm mortar, which allows the machine
gun to be used in a more effective support role, with an increase in
range and ROF it can fire over open sights as well as in an indirect
role for area suppression.
L3A4 LMG - Browning (.30 Cal)
L3A4 .30 Cal Browning Machine Gun
Weight: 14.1kg Range: 1,000m
ROF: 120rpm
Dating back to World War Two the Browning
Mk.1 and Mk.2 were older-style Commonwealth
designations for the .303 caliber Browning machine guns
used on the vast majority of British aircraft in
the Second World War at one point or another. The main
difference between the Mk 1 and Mk 2 versions is unknown, but the weapon
visually is quite similar AN/M2 aircraft gun.
The post-war designations for these weapons was the L3, and
they were used by the United Kingdom mainly mounted in
vehicles, such as the Ferret, Saladin, Saracen
and Centurion tanks which meant there were
plenty in reserve kept in storage. When the Falklands
Conflict started a lot of these weapons were pulled out of storage and
put back into service.
A
9 PARA Engineer Veteran of the Falklands war recounted how he was given the .30cal without the tripod aboard ship and
without any instruction on how to use the weapon and waded ashore
at San Carlos with his No.2 carrying 6 boxes of ammunition. When
he asked the SAS whether it was a good weapon or not, they replied
" if he left it unattended that they would rob it off
him".
During
battle he was told to bugger off somewhere else as the signature
flash of the weapon firing attracted unwanted fire from the
Argentineans and that it jammed often due to the canvas belts
getting wet.
Machine
Gun 12.7mm L1A1 - ( .50cal M2)
12.7mm L1A1 on M63 Anti Aircraft mount.
Weight: 39.1Kg Range: 1,000m+
ROF: 450-600rpm
The
12.7mm L1A1 is otherwise known as the .50cal M2
Browning Heavy Machine Gun of war time fame. The
design dates back to the 1920's and it is still
considered to be one of the best heavy
machine guns in the world. The British Army acquired
a large quantity of the M2's during
World War Two but after the war production of the weapon ceased
and it was slowly withdrawn from service. In the 1970s the
production of the M2 was restarted by FN (Belgium), Ramo Inc
(US) and Saco Defense Systems (US) as demand for such a
weapon became apparent. The Army re-purchased a quantity of the US
manufactured M2s and fitted them with British made
barrels. They were then placed in storage ready for use. In
1982 with the Falklands war, 24 M2s along with
M63 AA mounts were taken south with the task force. They were
mainly used for air defence around San Carlos. After the Falklands
the L1A1 underwent a period of appraisal where it was
issued to some heavy support platoons. The main draw
back with the weapon at the time was the fact that
there were several model variants and barrel lengths
which caused maintenance problems. The weapon is able to fire
several types of ammunition which includes tracer
and armour piercing which the later is
proberly the Norwegian NM 140 round commonly used within
NATO armies.
There
is also a drill variant of the L1A1 called the L2A1, a
training variant designated the L30A1 and a spotting rifle
variant, the L40A1 for use with the 120mm Wombat gun.
Anti-Tank
Weapons
MILAN
ATGW
REME made display Milan.
The
MILAN (Missile d'Ifantarie Leger Anti-Char) was developed by
the French and West-Germans. It is a 2nd
Generation wired guided system. Produced since 1972 with the first
batches entering service with the French and West-German armies in
1975. Also in 1975 the British Army showed an interest and it was
not until 1978 that negotiations allowed the army to procure its
first trial batches. It was later announced that the system will
be on full scale issue by the early 1980's.
Primary designed for use on the plains of Germany against Soviet
tanks. The Milan saw action in the Falklands where it was
found to be effective at neutralizing the Argentine heavy
weapon bunkers. The system also allows for a Thermal Imaging sight
to be fitted which enables the system to operate in all types of
weather conditions, day and night.
Mortars
Muzzle
Loading 81mm L16
81mm L16A1
Weight: 37.94Kg Range:
5,650m
ROF: Up to 15 rpm
The
L16 mortar was a joint development between the Uk and Canada,
after 4 years development it entered service in 1961. Canada
developed the base plate which allowed the mortar to traverse and
fire through 360 degrees without the need of
re-sighting and the C2 sight unit. The K mount L5A2
allows the mortar to be set up on uneven ground with
out unbalancing the mortar when it fires. The mortar can be
man packed by breaking it down into three loads of which the
heaviest is 12.3Kg.
The L16 was used to great effect during the Falklands war
due to the mortars great accuracy and rate of fire which unnerved
the Argentine troops to a degree that the
after-the-battle reports from Argentina stated that the 81mm
mortar bombs were fitted with heat seeking warheads capable
of detecting human targets.
The
Falklands war also bought about a new innovation. Due to the soft
ground. the mortar would sink after each shot, but this was
rectified by placing a sandbag filled with soil under the base
plate to prevent the base plate from sinking.
The
L16A2 Mortar is capable of firing 3 types of HE bombs, 2 types of
Smoke bombs and a French produced Illumination round. The late
1980's also saw the introduction of the anti-armour round -
"MERLIN"
The
groups Mortar was made by the Royal Electrical and Mechanical
Engineers for display in Army recruitment office windows. It was
made along with a Milan Launcher and it is believed that only
around 500 units of each were made. Only a handful of these now
exist.
Morzen hand held fire computer.
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