Israeli anti-aircraft machine guns of rifle caliber
The first anti-aircraft guns in the Israeli Armed Forces appeared in 1948 during the War of Independence. Ground-based air defense was built on captured and purchased anti-aircraft machine guns and artillery mounts. Subsequently, the purchase of barrel-based weapons Defense were carried out in France, Germany, and the United States. Sometimes, arms deals were openly illegal, or anti-aircraft guns were delivered to Israel through third parties. Subsequently, the largest suppliers of various weapons to the IDF, from light infantry to armored vehicles, were the armies of Arab countries, and abandoned weapons on the battlefield weapon Soviet-made equipment was actively used by the Israelis.
In the initial stages of the formation of Israeli air defense units, they were primarily equipped with machine guns chambered for rifle cartridges, as well as 12,7–13,2 mm caliber models. After 20–40 mm anti-aircraft guns were introduced into service, they significantly supplanted machine gun mounts, which continued to be used to provide air cover for small units and were also mounted on tanks, armored personnel carriers, and vehicles. Captured 14,5mm ZPUs, captured during the Arab-Israeli wars, were used by the IDF until the first half of the 1980s. Recently, due to the widespread use of strike drones Interest in ZPUs has been revived, and automated machine gun turrets are being developed in Israel, designed to protect armored vehicles, transport vehicles, and stationary objects from UAVs.
Bren machine guns, ZB-26 and ZB-30
Bren Mk.II and Mk.III light machine guns were actively used by Jewish paramilitary groups (the Haganah) and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in its early days. In 1948, several hundred British Brens, stolen from British warehouses and purchased elsewhere, formed the backbone of the Israeli infantry's machine gun armament.
The Bren Mk.II light machine gun, caliber 7,7 mm (.303 British), is a modified version of the Czech ZB-30 (Zbrojovka Brno) machine gun. Adopted by the British, the machine gun takes its name from the first two letters of the cities of Brno and Enfield.
The Bren, along with its Czechoslovakian predecessor, is considered one of the best light machine guns of World War II. More than 500 were manufactured in Britain, Canada, Australia, and India.
Bren Mk.II light machine gun
The Bren Mk.II machine gun weighs 11,3 kg (25.5 lb) when loaded. Its length is 1160 mm (44.5 in). It operates by diverting some of the propellant gases from the barrel bore, using a long-stroke gas piston and tilting bolt locking. The gun is fired from an open bolt (rear sear), preventing accidental ignition of the propellant charge in the cartridge case when the chamber heats up, improving barrel cooling, and allowing for quick replacement of the barrel. The trigger mechanism allows for single shots and bursts. Firing is performed using a bipod or a lightweight tripod, which also had the capability of engaging aerial targets. It is fed from a 30-round magazine or 100-round drum magazines. However, there is no evidence that Israel used high-capacity magazines. Typically, a 30-round magazine was loaded with 27 or 28 rounds to avoid spring compression and delays during firing. Rate of fire: 500–520 rounds per minute. Practical rate of fire: 120 rounds per minute.
For the Bren guns, Israel had anti-aircraft mounts previously used by British infantry units.
However, when used as an anti-aircraft weapon, the Bren had several drawbacks: the overhead magazine placement partially obscured the view and made tracking aerial targets difficult, while the small magazine capacity and relatively low rate of fire limited the practical rate of fire, which was important when engaging fast-moving targets. Nevertheless, thanks to their high reliability and light weight, the Bren Mk.II and Mk.III remained in use as lightweight air defense weapons until the late 1950s.
The ZB-26 (military designation vz. 26), designed by Václav Holek, was accepted into service in Czechoslovakia in 1926, and mass production began in 1928.
Machine gun ZB-26
At 1165 mm in length, the ZB-26 weighs 8,9 kg unloaded. It feeds from a top-loading, 20-round box magazine. The top-mounted magazine has both advantages and disadvantages. While the disadvantage is a limited field of view when firing, this layout speeds loading and prevents the magazine body from snagging on the ground. The rate of fire is 600 rounds per minute, but due to the small capacity of the magazine, the practical rate of fire does not exceed 100 rounds per minute.
The ZB-30 light machine gun featured a different design for the eccentric bolt actuator and a firing pin actuation system. The weapon was equipped with a gas valve, which allowed for the regulation of the flow of propellant gases into the cylinder, and a lug for mounting an anti-aircraft sight. The ZB-30's weight increased to 9,1 kg, but it became more reliable. Its rate of fire was 500–550 rounds per minute.
Machine gun ZB-30
Although the ZB-26, ZB-30, and Bren guns lacked the practical rate of fire of belt-fed models, these light machine guns had a simpler design and were lighter. A machine gun with a 20-30-round magazine couldn't compete with the MG.34, MG.42, or M1919A6 in terms of firepower, but a machine gunner carrying 6-8 magazines himself could operate independently and dispense with a second crew member, significantly increasing mobility and flexibility.
A special anti-aircraft mount allowed the use of light machine guns to fire at aerial targets.
Machine gun ZB-53
In addition to the ZB-26 and ZB-30 light machine guns, the Israelis also received 842 Czechoslovakian ZB-53 heavy machine guns in 1948-1949, which in the Israel Defense Forces had the British name Besa and the German name MG.37.
Machine gun ZB-53
This was one of the best machine guns of World War II, also designed by Václav Holek. Like other Czechoslovak weapons of the interwar period, it used the 7,92×57mm cartridge. The ZB-53 officially entered service in 1937 and bore the military designation vz. 37. Due to its relatively light weight for a heavy machine gun, high build quality, good reliability, and excellent accuracy, the ZB-53 was popular with the troops.
The ZB-53's automatic system diverted some of the propellant gases through a side port in the barrel. The barrel was locked by tilting the bolt vertically. The barrel could be replaced if it overheated. The machine gun with its mount weighed 39,6 kg and was 1,096 mm long. A rate of fire selector switch controlled the rate of fire from 500 to 800 rounds per minute. A high rate of fire was essential for engaging aircraft.
For anti-aircraft firing, the machine gun was mounted on a swivel on the folding, sliding stand of the mount.
Machine guns MG.34, MG.42 and MG.15
It is reliably known that in the late 1940s, Czechoslovakia supplied Israel with 5,489 MG.34 machine guns. These were weapons produced at Waffenfabrik Brünn (as Zbrojovka Brno was known in Nazi Germany) and captured from the German army.
Machine guns MG.34 on bipods and on the machine
The MG.34, developed by Rheinmetall-Borsig AG, was the first mass-produced belt-fed general-purpose machine gun that could be used as a hand-held machine gun when fired from a bipod, as well as a mounted machine gun and anti-aircraft machine gun when fired from a tripod or mount.
MG.34 machine gun on an anti-aircraft mount
The MG.34 was recoil-operated, with a short-stroke barrel and a rotating bolt. The unloaded MG.34 weighed just over 12 kg and was 1219 mm long. Early production machine guns had a rate of fire of 800–900 rounds per minute. However, based on combat experience, the MG.34/41 variant, using a lighter bolt, increased the rate to 1200 rounds per minute. In case of overheating, the barrel could be quickly replaced. The barrel was supposed to be replaced every 250–300 rounds. For this purpose, two or three spare barrels and an asbestos glove were included.
The machine gun, mounted on a tripod, was loaded with a belt from a 150-round box (Patronenkasten 36) or 300-round box (Patronenkasten 34 and Patronenkasten 41). In the manual version, compact cylindrical boxes for 50 rounds (Gurttrommel 34) were used. There was also a magazine-fed version: the machine guns had a box cover with a belt-driven mechanism replaced by a cover with a mount for a 75-round twin drum magazine Patronentrommel 34, structurally similar to the magazines of the MG.13 and aviation MG.15. The magazine consisted of two connected drums, each feeding cartridge alternately. The rate of fire when fed from a drum magazine was higher, but this variant never caught on with the troops.
For all its merits, the MG.34 was complex and expensive to produce. In 1942, the more advanced MG.42 machine gun was adopted, but production of the MG.34 continued until 1945.
Development of a new general-purpose machine gun, the MG.42, was initiated shortly after the MG.34 was adopted, and in 1938, Metall-und Lackwarenfabrik Johannes Großfuß presented its prototype. Design refinement and preparation for serial production took several years, and after rigorous military testing, the MG.42 was accepted into service in 1942.
Machine gun MG.42
The MG.42 was 1200 mm long and slightly lighter than the MG.34, weighing 11,57 kg unloaded. Depending on the bolt weight, the rate of fire was 1000-1500 rounds per minute. The MG.42 operated by short-stroke recoil, with the bolt locked by rollers that moved laterally. The transition from the MG.34's rotating bolt to a roller bolt significantly increased the rate of fire without sacrificing reliability. As with the previous model, the problem of barrel overheating during prolonged firing was solved by replacing the barrel. Stamping and spot welding were widely used in MG.42 production, reducing cost and labor intensity. To simplify the design, the ability to feed the belt from either side, the magazine feed, and the fire mode selector were eliminated.
Although the MG.42 was more advanced in design than other machine guns available to Israel, it was the MG.34 that became the basis of the IDF's machine gun armament in the late 1940s and early 1950s.
Machine guns of this type, adapted for anti-aircraft fire, were used on special mounts from the ground and mounted on various vehicles.
In addition to the infantry MG.34 and MG.42, the IDF used the aircraft MG.15, adapted for firing at aerial targets.
Aviation machine gun MG.15
The MG.15 machine gun was designed based on the MG.30 light machine gun, which, in turn, traced its lineage to the S2-100, developed in 1929 by the Swiss company Waffenfabrik Solothurn AG. The MG.15 was officially adopted for service in 1936. A total of over 17,000 machine guns of this type were produced during World War II.
The MG.15 was relatively lightweight, weighing 8,1 kg unloaded and measuring 1,090 mm in length. Its rate of fire was 900–1,000 rounds per minute. It was fed from a 75-round double drum magazine.
Beginning in late 1942, to compensate for the "machine gun shortage," several thousand MG.15 machine guns stored in warehouses and removed from aircraft were massively modified for the needs of Luftwaffe airfield divisions. MG.15s removed from aircraft were mounted on tripods for Norwegian m/29 Browning machine guns and converted into light machine guns. A significant number of MG.15s were given lightweight anti-aircraft tripods, factory-made from aluminum alloy, and several of these improvised anti-aircraft mounts found their way to Israel.
Machine gun deliveries from Czechoslovakia in 1948–1949 played a crucial role in the War of Independence. By June 1, 1948, Israel had received 20,000 rifles, 2,800 machine guns, and 27 million rounds of ammunition. Czechoslovakian weapons were delivered fleet From twelve cargo ships. After unloading the first six transports, it became possible to supply the Israeli armed forces with small arms and ammunition (except for 0.303 rounds). In the twelve infantry brigades, not a single infantry squad was without a machine gun. Within a couple of months, the IDF had 37,000 rifles, 4,600 machine guns, and 65 million rounds of ammunition. Czechoslovakian-made machine guns chambered for 7,92×57mm remained in service in front-line IDF units until the mid-1960s, and were in service with reserve and training units and the Territorial Defense in 1973.
Browning M1917A1 heavy machine gun
Under a strict embargo and a severe arms shortage, the Jewish underground (Haganah) and the first IDF units obtained machine guns from various sources. Israel purchased American weapons through European intermediaries or with the help of the Jewish diaspora in the United States.
Specifically, by the end of the War of Independence, the IDF possessed over 150 Browning M1917A1 heavy machine guns. This 7,62×63mm caliber weapon, developed by John Browning in collaboration with the Colt company, was similar to the Maxim machine gun but had a simpler design.
Browning M1917A1 heavy machine gun
The machine gun weighed 47 kg (107 lb) in its firing position on the tripod. Its belt held 250 rounds. Its rate of fire was 600 rounds per minute. Thanks to its water cooling, the M1917A1 could sustain intense fire for extended periods.
The Browning M1917A1 machine guns were equipped with a sight that allowed effective engagement of both ground and air targets. The standard tripod mount provided sufficient elevation for anti-aircraft fire.
Browning M1919A4 heavy machine gun
The Browning M1917A1 machine gun was highly reliable and, thanks to its water-cooled barrel, could sustain intense fire for a considerable period of time. However, even before the end of World War I, it became clear that this machine gun did not meet the requirements for long-range portability and battlefield mobility. As a result, a modified M1919 Browning machine gun, the M1919A4, with a lightweight M2 tripod mount, was adopted. This machine gun became the primary weapon during World War II.
Machine gun Browning М1919А4 on the M2 machine
The main difference between the M1919A4 and the M1917A1 was the use of a massive air-cooled barrel enclosed in a perforated casing. Quick barrel replacement in combat conditions was not provided, as the machine gun required adjustment of the breech-to-bolt clearance after each barrel change. Furthermore, the machine gun received a new low-profile M2 tripod, which featured simplified aiming mechanisms (compared to the M1917 tripod) and was significantly lighter. The Browning M1919A4 machine gun weighed 20,5 kg (44.5 lb) with the tripod. Its rate of fire was 400-450 rounds per minute. It was fed from a 250-round belt.
Although the standard infantry M2 mount did not allow firing at high elevation angles, the M1919A4 machine gun was very often used as an anti-aircraft gun, for which it was mounted on various turrets and specially designed mounts. Many American tanks and armored vehicles were equipped with anti-aircraft machine guns of this type.
Machine guns were also often carried on light, all-terrain vehicles. These machines, armed with machine guns, were used for reconnaissance and patrol duties, escorting transport convoys, and guarding headquarters and important rear facilities. The machine gun, mounted on a swivel, could be used equally well for firing at ground and air targets.
Thus, the M1919A4 machine guns were used in most countries where they were in service, including Israel.
Deliveries of M1919A4 machine guns to Israel began in the 1950s, but the American-made weapons were not transferred directly, but through intermediaries. The exact number of M1919A4s transferred is unknown. Apparently, several thousand were involved. In IDF infantry units, the M1919A4 mounted machine gun was supplanted by the Belgian MAG-58 after the Yom Kippur War of 1973. However, the M1919A4 continued to serve in armored vehicles and light jeeps for a very long time.
Due to the transition to 7,62×51mm NATO ammunition, a very significant number of old American machine guns were converted to this caliber, and they served in this form until the late 1990s.
SG-43 and SGM heavy machine guns
During the Arab-Israeli conflicts of 1956, 1967 and 1973, the IDF captured approximately 2500 SG-43, SGM and licensed copies of the SGM produced in Egypt under the designation Aswan.
An Israeli soldier with a captured SGM machine gun.
The Goryunov machine gun on a universal wheeled mount, capable of anti-aircraft fire, weighed almost 37 kg without a belt, and 27,8 kg on a tripod. The weight of a 250-round box is 9,5–10,25 kg. The length of the machine gun body is 1,140 mm. The length of the rifled part of the barrel is 670 mm. The muzzle velocity of a 9,2 g bullet is 855 m/s. Rate of fire: 650–700 rounds per minute. Combat rate of fire is up to 300 rounds per minute. The machine gun barrel is air-cooled. Intensive fire in bursts is possible for up to 500 rounds, after which the barrel must be replaced or cooled. The operation of the SG-43 automation is based on the use of the energy of powder gases bleed from the barrel bore. The barrel bore is locked by tilting the bolt to the right.
SGM with anti-aircraft sight at the Batei HaOsef Museum
An anti-aircraft sight could be installed, which added another 600 grams of weight. The anti-aircraft sight was designed for firing at aerial targets flying at speeds no greater than 600 km/h at distances of up to 1000 meters. When firing at higher-speed targets, it was recommended to use the sight's imaginary ring.
Machine guns were mounted on either Degtyarev wheeled mounts or Sidorenko-Malinovsky mounts. Both options allowed for firing at ground and air targets.
Until the mid-1970s, the Israel Defense Forces used captured Goryunovs as a means of fire reinforcement at fixed positions; they were also used to arm captured BTR-152 armored personnel carriers used for patrols, of which approximately 350 units were captured.
But unlike the vehicles used by the armed forces of Arab states, the Israelis armed their BTR-152s with no less than four rifle-caliber machine guns mounted in a circle on pintle mounts, especially since they had an abundance of captured SG-43, SGM, and Aswan machine guns.
A significant number of Goryunovs captured from Arabs were used by Israeli territorial armed forces, where they served as heavy weapons. By the second half of the 1980s, most of these machine guns, along with other non-standard small arms, were quietly exported to Third World countries and also given to the army in southern Lebanon.
Single machine gun MAG-58
In 1967, the IDF adopted the 7,62mm FN MAG (MAG-58) general-purpose machine gun, intended to replace all other rifle-fired machine guns. However, this process was delayed, and it wasn't until the 1990s that the obsolete Browning M1919A4s were completely phased out.
MAG-58 machine gun on bipod
The MAG-58 machine gun was designed by Ernest Vervier at the Belgian company Fabrique Nationale (FN). This weapon was developed within the framework of the general-purpose machine gun concept, similar to the German MG.34 and MG.42, as well as the Soviet PK.
MAG-58 machine gun on a tripod
The MAG-58 could be fired from a bipod and carried by a single infantryman. Mounted on a tripod, the machine gun offered greater stability and accuracy. Turret-mounted MAG-58 machine guns were often mounted on various vehicles, armored vehicles, and boats.
MAG-58 machine gun on a turret
The MAG-58 general-purpose machine gun was a true breakthrough for its time, leading to its widespread adoption in countries that used 7,62×51mm NATO ammunition. In terms of production cost and combat and operational characteristics, it was second only to the Kalashnikov machine gun during the Cold War.
The machine gun with buttstock and bipod weighs 10,85 kg. The weight on the M122 tripod is 21,13 kg. Length is 1263 mm. Barrel length is 630 mm. The muzzle velocity of the 9,3 g bullet is 845 m/s. The effective range is up to 800 m. The rate of fire is 600-1000 rounds per minute. The machine gun's automatic system operates by diverting some of the propellant gases from the barrel. The bolt is locked by a wedge locking mechanism that engages a groove in the receiver. The machine gun's barrel is quick-changeable and has a carrying handle that is also used for hot barrel replacement.
The MAG-58 machine gun is still in service with the IDF, and to some extent, this weapon has followed the same fate as the Browning M1919A4. Front-line infantry units have currently switched to the IWI Negev machine gun chambered in 5,56×45mm NATO and the Negev NG-7 machine gun chambered in 7,62×51mm NATO, while the MAG-58 has been retired and mounted on armored vehicles.
MAG-58 and IWI Negev machine guns
By the mid-1950s, due to the dramatic improvement in the performance of jet combat aircraft, the role of rifle-caliber anti-aircraft machine guns had diminished to a minimum. However, the appearance of attack helicopters over the battlefield somewhat revived interest in them. During the Yom Kippur War, Egyptian Mi-4AVs, armed with S-5 unguided rockets and 9M17M Phalanga-M anti-tank guided missiles, carried out more than 30 combat sorties. They are believed to have destroyed tanks from the Israeli 162nd Armored Division. In 1982, Syrian SA-342L Gazelle anti-tank helicopters with guided missiles rockets HOTs carried out approximately 100 combat missions in Lebanon, damaging and destroying several Israeli tanks and armored personnel carriers.
A Syrian Gazelle van shot down in Lebanon
Considering that the aforementioned Soviet and French-made attack helicopters were not protected by armor and had a relatively low flight speed, they turned out to be very vulnerable to rifle-caliber small arms fire.
The machine guns currently deployed on Israeli armored vehicles and transport vehicles are primarily designed to engage enemy personnel at ranges of several hundred meters. However, they also have the capability to fire at aerial targets, which has become relevant again due to the proliferation of drones-kamikaze. But to effectively protect vehicles from unmanned threats, automated, high-speed turrets equipped with all-round optoelectronic systems, combined with laser rangefinders or millimeter-wave radars, are required.
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