On 12 June, the Dutch Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) signed a deal with small arms manufacturer FN Herstal for the provision of new machineguns. The Dutch military has opted for 2,050 new 7.62mm MAG general purpose machineguns, slightly down from the previously reported number of 2,100, together with 840 12.7mm M2HB-Quick Change Barrel (QCB) heavy machineguns, which will be used by all services. Remarkably, these new machineguns will replace the current inventory of legacy MAG and M2 machineguns that have been in use since the 1950s, 1960s. Despite these weapons still meeting operational requirements, having effective ranges equal to or exceeding 600m and 1,200m respectively, they have to be withdrawn due to their age.
The new machineguns will be fitted with integrated Picatinny rails so they can be equipped with new day and night optics that will be delivered along with the guns between early 2016 and mid 2018. No details have emerged about the make and the number of optics that will be procured. However, a MoD document dating from early 2013 mentioned 955 daysights and 280 night sights for the GPMGs while the HMGs would be complemented by 248 daysights and 575 night sights.
With 200,000 units manufactured and adopted by over 90 countries around the globe, the 7.62x51mm FN MAG remains one of the leaders in its category. Weighing 11.8kg, the latest version comes standard with a polymer stock which allows easy decontamination after contact with nuclear, biological and/or chemical agents.
FN Herstal is the original manufacturer of the QCB version of the Browning M2HB .50 cal
heavy machine gun, tens of thousands of which are still in service. Retaining the reliability and effectiveness of the original weapon, the M2HB-QCB configuration allows the barrel change to be quickly carried out by one man. Weighing 38.15kg, the 12.7x99mm weapon has an effective range of up to 2,000m according to figures provided by FN Herstal.
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| The Dutch military has opted for 2,050 new 7.62mm MAG general purpose machineguns, slightly down from the previously reported number of 2,100, together with 840 12.7mm M2HB-Quick Change Barrel (QCB) heavy machineguns. |
The new machineguns will be fitted with integrated Picatinny rails so they can be equipped with new day and night optics that will be delivered along with the guns between early 2016 and mid 2018. No details have emerged about the make and the number of optics that will be procured. However, a MoD document dating from early 2013 mentioned 955 daysights and 280 night sights for the GPMGs while the HMGs would be complemented by 248 daysights and 575 night sights.
With 200,000 units manufactured and adopted by over 90 countries around the globe, the 7.62x51mm FN MAG remains one of the leaders in its category. Weighing 11.8kg, the latest version comes standard with a polymer stock which allows easy decontamination after contact with nuclear, biological and/or chemical agents.
FN Herstal is the original manufacturer of the QCB version of the Browning M2HB .50 cal
heavy machine gun, tens of thousands of which are still in service. Retaining the reliability and effectiveness of the original weapon, the M2HB-QCB configuration allows the barrel change to be quickly carried out by one man. Weighing 38.15kg, the 12.7x99mm weapon has an effective range of up to 2,000m according to figures provided by FN Herstal.
Pieter Bastiaans
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