South African small to medium calibre weapon prototypes, concepts, projects etc.

[Abraham Gubler]

There is a PAWS specific thread here:

http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,7338.msg282480.html#msg282480

 

[cluttonfred]

Without a FCS ,The inzuki lacks the range of the 0,50 HMG .
the hight of trajectory of the 20 mm projectile is high with 310 ms so the sighting at long range is difficult .

The projectiles lacks of pentration and
it's radius of action is small .
The inzuki needs new ammunitions .

Nevertheless, the vehicle version is impressive .

Not sure that I agree here. My understanding is that the PAWS is intended as an alternative to a 40mm grenade launcher with much lighter ammo, much flatter trajectory, smaller lethal radius for more precise targeting. The belt-fed weapon using the same ammunition would provide similar benefits with enhanced area affect when firing bursts. From the Janes link:

"The iNkunzi Strike uses the same ammunition as the semi-automatic iNkunzi Personal Area Weapon (PAW) and has been specifically designed to fit any mounting that will take a typical 7.62 mm machine gun. At 13 kg, it is slightly heavier than most such weapons, but somewhat more compact at 850 mm in length"

For comparison, the M240B GPMG (FN MAG) in 7.62 x 51mm NATO weighs 12.5 kg. That is the appropriate comparison for the iNkunzi Strike rather than a .50 cal M2HB at 38 kg or or a Mk 19 40mm automatic grenade launcher at 35 kg.

 

[Graugrun]

Now Truvelo has released an 'Anti Material' type rifle for the new 20X42mm rounds...! Someone out there is clearly taken with this new sized ammo, I also understand that at least two overseas countries have ordered the 'iNkunzi' (previously PAWS) weapon and it's currently being delivered to them.

http://www.defenceweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=45455:truvelo-reveals-new-20x42-mm-rifle&catid=50:Land&Itemid=105

 

[Abraham Gubler]

No doubt the Australian commanders of all those Colombian soldiers fighting for the UAE like buying tough, hard hitting SA weapons. (What a world we live in...)

 

[compton_effect]

Denel improving Inkunzi http://www.defenceweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=46204:denel-improving-inkunzi&catid=50:Land&Itemid=105

Denel PMP has made several changes to the Inkunzi personal area weapon (PAW), announcing the improved Inkunzi PAW A2.

This new version contains a number of upgrades to improve the weapon’s stability and accuracy. A rotary magazine replaces the old box cartridge cassette which improves the balance of the weapon and adds to its efficiency. The gas operated recoil system was also replaced by a new inertia-operating system, Denel said in a statement today.

The semi-automatic weapon fires 20x42 mm bursting ammunition from the six round rotary magazine.

Phaladi Petje, the CEO of Denel PMP, said there is already international interest in the upgraded version of the iNkunzi PAW and PMP is exploring further markets for the weapon and the ammunition.

He said the iNkunzi PAW was designed to meet the needs of the modern combat soldier who requires a light weight, yet highly effective, personal area weapon. It is carried by a single soldier and fired from the shoulder. Petje said the iNkunzi PAW is a highly accurate weapon that is best deployed in modern urban warfare conditions. It can also be used in rural or jungle combat terrains at distances of up to 1 000 metres.

In 2015 PMP began production of the Inkunzi for its first international client, with a second in the Middle East ordering the weapon.

Denel PMP launched the automatic Inkunzi Strike version at the Africa Aerospace and Defence Exhibition in Tshwane in September. The iNkunzi Strike has been integrated into a remotely operate weapon station – SDROW – developed by Mechatronics, a division of Denel Vehicle Systems.

The weapon and camera are mounted on the outside of the vehicle but fired by a single operator located inside. It can fire up to 350 rounds a minute using the same 20x42mm bursting ammunition.

Petje said PMP is also busy with the development of a tripod for the iNkunzi Strike which will enable forces to fire high volume bursts from outside the vehicle.

The Inkunzi was the first weapon designed around the 20x42 mm round, but others are following – also during Africa Aerospace and Defence sniper rifle specialist Truvelo unveiled its new CMS 20x42 anti-material rifle using the Inkunzi round. Describing it as a game changer, Truvelo said the weapon has better characteristics and a flatter trajectory than low or medium velocity 40 mm grenade launchers.

 

[sa_bushwar]

The Truvelo Neostead pump action shotgun of the late 1990's? which as far as I know never went into mass production.

 

[Herman]

Photo's of Kurdish soldiers armed with the Inkunzi, fighting against ISIS, have surfaced. The gun in the picture is fitted with a box magazine and may therefore be an older version.

 

[Graugrun]

Although the article is focused on an order for 300 CMS rifles - it does include an update on the development of their 'prototype' 20 X 42mm anti material rifle as discussed above.

http://www.defenceweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=47146:truvelo-delivers-single-largest-rifle-order&catid=50:Land&Itemid=105

 

[Graugrun]

Another update from Truvelo - this time they have updated/redesigned their 20X110mm Hispano anti-materiel rifle.

http://www.defenceweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=48272:truvelo-redesigns-20x110-mm-hispano-rifle&catid=50:Land&Itemid=105

 

[kaiserbill]

Are there any pictures of the eGLas single 35mm AA gun mounted on a Samil or Kwevoel 100?
I could have sworn I saw one somewhere, but can't seem to locate it.

 

[Graugrun]

An update on the Inkunzi Strike 20 X 42mm automatic weapon development.

http://www.defenceweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=50332:inkunzi-strike-to-be-qualified-by-march&catid=50:Land&Itemid=105

 

[Graugrun]

Another update on the Inkunzi 20mm X 42mm automatic weapon system, it indicates that it is getting very close to full production and also that they are getting a lot of international interest in it. Some of the reasons include the compact size and light weight, making it ideal for airborne and vehicle mounted operations too.

http://www.defenceweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=52647:inkunzi-strike-almost-ready-for-production&catid=50:Land&Itemid=105

 

[Graugrun]

This article is a little more about the development of various new turrets rather then the weapons themselves - however they are mostly to house small to medium caliber weapons, so I decided that this was the best thread to place this in.

http://www.defenceweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=53069:new-turrets-being-developed-by-denel-vehicle-systems&catid=50:Land&Itemid=105

 

[Graugrun]

The updated (now ready for production?) 20x42mm AMRIS (short for anti-materiel rifle, integrally suppressed)

Interesting that it's integrally suppressed...

https://www.janes.com/article/83060/smart-hard-hitter-aad18d1

 

[sa_bushwar]

Another update on the Inkunzi 20mm X 42mm automatic weapon system, it indicates that it is getting very close to full production and also that they are getting a lot of international interest in it. Some of the reasons include the compact size and light weight, making it ideal for airborne and vehicle mounted operations too.

http://www.defenceweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=52647:inkunzi-strike-almost-ready-for-production&catid=50:Land&Itemid=105

 

[Graugrun]

Another update from IHS Janes.


https://www.janes.com/article/83696/denel-launches-new-rcg30-remotely-operated-turret

 

[Mech]

15+25 ready rounds ?

Badger gun has 74 ready rounds.
The EMAK-35 had 80 rounds linked and another 26 feeding from clips on the left for AP ammo.
And that was a 35mm system !
EMAK-35 would also fit in this form factor and allow you to reload the clips from inside pretty easily.

Still don't get why they dont have the 35mm EMAK in their catalogue.
Does anyone know if there was something wrong with the gun?

I don't see a 40 round stowed kill remote turret being competitive in the marketplace.

 

[kaiserbill]

I am not sure why the EMAK-35 is not listed in their catalogue, but I suspect there is nothing wrong with the weapon per se, but rather the SANDF's choice for a 30mm, as part of the Patria choice drove things.
From what I understand, the EMAK shares some or many components with the GA-35mm naval gun, which was taken into service. They certainly share barrel, locking mechanism, and feed links, amongst other parts.
The original weapon stems from the ZA-35 SPAAD on the Rooikat chassis.
I personally think the SANDF made the incorrect choice, looking at recent trends toward larger medium calibre weapons internationally, but then..the less said about the "motivations" behind high ranking SANDF and political figures over the last decade or two, the better.

 

[Graugrun]

I understand this to be an updated/upgraded SS-77 LMG - it's a bit lighter than the SS-77 for one...

 

[Graugrun]

Another up date on (mostly) the RCG30 CamGun turret

https://www.defenceweb.co.za/featured/denel-vehicle-systems-upbeat-about-new-rcg30-camgun-turret/

 

[stimpy75]

nice turret but i got a question to the number of ready to use main gun ammo
i couldn´t find in a quick google search
i am asking because i have read somewhere the turret on the Malaysian AV8,(like that on the Badger?), had a ricidicilous low number of main gun ammo,although it was manned and not remote controlled like this one ^^

 

[Graugrun]

@ Stimpy75 - Good question, if I find an answer for you, I'll be sure to post it!

Here is a small project, but interesting in that it's again a demonstration that you only really get the product's performance tested and corrected with good ol' combat experience!

https://www.defenceweb.co.za/aerosp...cting-mechanism-coming-for-rooivalk-chin-gun/

 

[Graugrun]

Rippel Effect's 40mm, designed for UAV's grenade launcher.

https://www.defenceweb.co.za/aerosp...ippel-showcases-uav-mounted-grenade-launcher/

 

[Graugrun]

Some more info on the UAV grenade launcher from the 'Army Recognition" site...

https://www.armyrecognition.com/ume..._t5zodjtHJ_PLxt6f8lFkaXeZzyYzlkOSLTnkiKXsffvg

 

[riggerrob]

Dear Graugrun,
It is neat the way the the drone is aimed to fire grenades straight down.

Apparently the Royal Canadian Air Force found this to be an advantage when they deployed Bell 414 Griffin helicopters to Afghanistan where they could quickly kill Taliban hiding behind solid walls or in trenches.

 

[miker]

Its the French LARC F1 89mm rocket launcher. A South African 99mm version was developed in the 1980s called the FT5 and built at great cost but large numbers of captured RPG7s provided the capability to the SADF.

The FT5 came only after the war was well over, we brought RPG7s from Egypt, both weapon & ammo.

 

[Mech]

nice turret but i got a question to the number of ready to use main gun ammo
i couldn´t find in a quick google search
i am asking because i have read somewhere the turret on the Malaysian AV8,(like that on the Badger?), had a ricidicilous low number of main gun ammo,although it was manned and not remote controlled like this one ^^

It has a very low number of rounds, but it comes with a caveat.
These rounds are managed by a link-less system, so you can manually top up during the attack. ( the unmanned turret has a hatch for access)
Once a linked gun (like Ratel or Bradley) is out of ammo, it has to withdraw to re-arm.
This is a big deal as anything above 20mm has very heavy and cumbersome belts. It takes about 3 guys to reload a Ratel with 2 standing on top handling belts that also have to be linked together. I seem to remember the 20mm came in 15 round belts. Obviously you don't want to do this with 82mm mortars landing arround you, so you'd have to do a tactical retreat to re-arm. Ratel has large bins in the turret for this reason.
A 30mm ammo belt would be much harder to handle and linked 30mm become problematic in bins, because of their bigger size and pull weight of the belt. Storing individual rounds arround your vehicle is also much more ergonomic than belts.
Badger can reload on the go or when there's a lull in the action and if you get creative I bet you can store a lot more ammo everywhere. Another advantage is that the gun can switch ammo type on the fly. With most belted systems you have to clear the ready round in the gun before you can de-link and fire from the AP belt for example.

The British Rarden 30mm IFV gun only has 3 round clips with 3 ready to fire and 3 in the mag for a total of 6. That's just too few shots and causes workload problems in a 2 man turret where there's a lot going on as it is.

 

[Graugrun]

I'm just moving these scans here from another thread (that I originally posted them in), this being the more appropriate thread for this E-MAK 35. I believe it's now known as the LCT30 (or 35) - my understanding is that it was designed to scale up or down easily (up to 50mm if needed). This is the same weapon as used on the E-Glas 35 - see my post #64 in this thread.

 

[Graugrun]

Some more on the FT-5 shoulder launched weapon, note one of the innovative warhead options that Somchem developed (MEP), the IP for which was subsequently bought by the Swiss Company RAUG and incorporated into their own weapon warhead options (and sold to a couple of different NATO countries I believe). The Swiss purchase is covered in the last article (Janes IDR April 2003).

 

[Graugrun]

I had originally posted this in one of the South African aviation threads - it belongs better in this thread...

 

[Tony Williams]

I had originally posted this in one of the South African aviation threads - it belongs better in this thread...

Thanks for posting it. Any idea of the date of this project? Is it being marketed now, or has it been dropped?

 

[Graugrun]

I had originally posted this in one of the South African aviation threads - it belongs better in this thread...

Thanks for posting it. Any idea of the date of this project? Is it being marketed now, or has it been dropped?

I believe it was developed as part of the Rooivalk Attack Helicopter project, so the timeline would be around the early 1990's. attached are pics of the airborne turret also developed for it (although they appear to be using the 30mm DEFA in this brochure). It was decided to rather use the locally produced version of the French 20mm X 139mm F-2 cannon on the Rooivalk.

I doubt that this project went much further than a few prototypes...

 

[Graugrun]

Updated 40mm Grenade Launcher, with the new medium range ammunition.

https://www.defenceweb.co.za/featured/milkor-y4-grenade-launcher-project-handed-over-to-sa-army/

 

[Graugrun]

Some CSIR slides showing the R-4 development, upgrades and potential upgrades. I enjoyed that they showed the true Galil/R-4 linage in the first slide.

 

[Graugrun]

It seems like a whole lot of South African defence companies are going into partnerships with companies in the UAE, or setting up shop there... Here's a joint venture of some sorts (SA designed but co-produced in the UAE?).

Milkor UAE unveils automatic grenade launcher at IDEX 2021​

https://www.defenceweb.co.za/land/l...eils-automatic-grenade-launcher-at-idex-2021/

 

[Graugrun]

Now this was Denel Dynamics project that I had never heard of before - the C-RAM guided 35mm ammunition, not the same as Rheinmetall's AHEAD ammo (and despite the AHEAD configured Oerlikon gun in the background of the first slide), this appears to be a fully guided round and as per it's namesake, is also designed to defeat incoming mortar, artillery and rocket shells - I would certainly like to find out more about this previously unknown project.. (this slide is from a good few years back)

​

 

[TomS]

More of a C-RAM overview but it talks about the potential of a 35mm guided round. Still using heavy Tungsten fragments so it sounds like not strictly hit-to-kill, just course correction.

Denel Dynamics considering C-RAM - defenceWeb

Denel Dynamics, a subsidiary of the state arsenal, says it is collaborating on the development of at least three technologies to counter rockets, artillery and mortar ammunition. Denel Dynamics chief scientist Dr Gerrit Viljoen told the recent South African Joint Air Defence Symposium (SAJADS)...

www.defenceweb.co.za

 

[Graugrun]

SOF article on our 40mm grenade launcher - dated January 1986

 

[Graugrun]

Interesting shot of the Inkunzi 20mm (20X42) Automatic Weapon System. Is this a production version in use..?

 

[Graugrun]

Some pics of the 35mm SPAAG gun/turret system offered to the Polish Defence Force (I believe), many years ago. Their spec was that it must be mounted on a T-72 hull.