Israeli heavy anti-aircraft machine guns
In the late 1940s, by the time the regular Israel Defense Forces was formed, heavy machine guns were quite an effective means of fighting aviation The IDF used single-barrel, twin-barrel, and quadruple 12,7–14,5 mm anti-aircraft machine gun mounts, acquired from other countries or captured from the Arabs, until the early 1980s.
The advantages of the 12,7–14,5 mm anti-aircraft machine guns include their simple design, low cost, ease and speed of training by personnel, high combat readiness, and flexibility of use. At the same time, large-caliber anti-aircraft machine guns have a short effective firing range by modern standards and do not provide a sufficiently high probability of hitting fast-moving aerial targets. As early as the 1960s, barrel-based air defense systems in general, and rapid-fire anti-aircraft machine gun mounts in particular, began to lose ground due to the rapid growth of the combat capabilities of tactical (frontline) aviation, and priority as the primary means of combating enemy aircraft shifted to anti-aircraft guns. rockets.
However, this did not mean a complete abandonment of the anti-tank missile launchers, which are still in service. The advent of specialized anti-tank helicopters armed with ATGMs made it necessary to retain 12,7mm machine gun turrets on armored vehicles. Furthermore, as demonstrated by numerous local conflicts in the second half of the 20th century, in which jet fighter-bombers and attack aircraft were actively used, the presence of large-caliber Brownings and DShKs in infantry, adapted for anti-aircraft fire, forced pilots to take this into account and prevented them from completely decimating ground combat formations with impunity.
In the past, Israel developed and mass-produced remote-controlled machine gun turrets that allowed firing at ground and air targets without leaving the armored compartment of a combat vehicle. Currently, due to the widespread use of attack weapons drones Tests are underway on automated anti-aircraft machine gun mounts equipped with advanced sighting and surveillance systems and computerized fire control systems.
Anti-aircraft machine gun mounts based on the 12,7 mm Browning M2HB machine gun
During World War II, alongside the Soviet large-caliber DShK, the American Browning Machine Gun Cal. .50 M2HB Flexible—the Browning machine gun of 0,5-inch caliber, model M2HB with a heavy barrel, or M2HB for short—was recognized and widely used.
This model, developed on the basis of the 12,7mm Browning M1921A1 liquid-cooled machine gun, appeared in 1938. All 12,7mm Brownings operate by utilizing the recoil energy of the barrel during its short stroke. The bolt is locked by a swinging lug (wedge).
12,7 mm Browning M2HB machine gun
The 12,7mm M2NV received a longer barrel, and by eliminating water cooling, the machine gun's weight was reduced to 38 kg. The rate of fire was 480-550 rounds per minute. weapon It remains virtually unchanged to this day and is mounted on various tripods, mounts, and turrets. In addition to its successful design, the success of the large-caliber Browning was largely due to its effective ammunition. The 12,7×99mm cartridge, also known as the .50 BMG, had an effective range of almost twice that of the 7,62×63mm rifle cartridge. At the time the M2HB was adopted, the 48,6g M1 armor-piercing bullet had a muzzle velocity of 808 m/s upon exiting the barrel and could penetrate a 16mm armor plate at a distance of 500 m when hitting at a right angle. The effective range against aerial targets reached 800 m.
Sometimes, manually aimed twin anti-aircraft guns were used to achieve greater firepower. However, due to the increased weight of the gun, such twin guns were usually mounted on various self-propelled transport chassis or on ship decks. A downside of doubling the rate of fire was the increased physical strain on the gunner when aiming the weapon at the target.
Twin anti-aircraft mount with two Browning M2HB machine guns
Initially, the number of 12,7mm M2HB machine guns available to the Israelis was small. In fact, by the end of March 1949, only five were available. However, after IDF forces recognized the effectiveness of the large-caliber Browning machine gun, additional purchases were made. Contrary to popular belief, the US government initially obstructed arms sales to Israel, and their acquisition was carried out through intermediaries, facilitated by the Jewish diaspora in various countries.
An old Israeli Browning M2HB on a pedestal mount at Gan Taas Park in Givatayim.
By 1955, the IDF already possessed 155 heavy machine guns, the majority of which were M2HBs, mounted on armored vehicles and transport vehicles. Subsequently, the number of these heavy machine guns increased so much that they were used to arm all infantry battalion fire support companies. Each company had a platoon of heavy machine guns (six M2HBs). A significant number of M2HBs were also mounted on vehicles. By the start of the Yom Kippur War, the IDF had approximately 3700 12,7mm machine guns. The exact number of 12,7×99mm heavy machine guns delivered to Israel is unknown, but it is likely in the thousands. The IDF is currently purchasing improved machine guns with a quick-change barrel (M2HQCB). Some of the M2A1 machine guns were converted from old M2HBs.
The most common anti-aircraft mount for the M2HB machine gun is the M63. The mount weighs 103 kg without ammunition. The elevation angles range from -29° to +85°. The machine gun is fed from a 200-round magazine.
Browning M2HB machine gun on the M63 anti-aircraft mount
Although heavy machine guns are ineffective against modern combat aircraft and anti-tank helicopters with an ATGM launch range many times greater than the effective firing range of the 12,7mm M2HB, large-caliber Brownings remain an effective means of combating UAVs.
M2HB machine guns were also previously used as part of the M55 anti-tank launcher system with the M45 Quadmount, a quadruple firing module equipped with electric control drives, mounted on the M20 universal towable trailer. This mount was developed by the American company WL Maxson in 1943.
M55 anti-aircraft machine gun mount
The mount weighed 1087 kg in its firing position. Its effective range against aerial targets was approximately 1000 m. Its rate of fire was 2300 rounds per minute. The mount's ammunition boxes held 800 rounds. The total ammunition load was 2000 rounds. The mount was aimed at its target using electric drives powered by a gasoline generator. Two lead-acid batteries served as a backup power source. The mount's electric motors were powerful, capable of withstanding heavy loads. Thanks to the electric drives, the mount had a traverse speed of up to 60° per second. The mount was operated by a gunner and two loaders.
Typically, towed M55 mounts in Israel were used to cover stationary targets or were deployed at checkpoints. In addition to engaging low-flying aerial targets, the quadruple 12,7mm anti-aircraft guns could effectively destroy enemy personnel and lightly armored vehicles.
Sometimes the M45 Quadmount "flak turrets" were placed in the back of a truck, and such an improvised self-propelled gun was used to escort transport columns.
The IDF also had approximately 180 M16 self-propelled anti-aircraft guns based on the American M3 half-track armored personnel carrier.
Self-propelled anti-aircraft gun M16
This vehicle, with a curb weight of 9 tons, was protected by 12 mm of armor. Its 128 hp carbureted engine could reach speeds of up to 65 km/h on the road. Its cruising range was up to 280 km. It had a crew of five. These ZSUs remained in service in Israel until 1972, after which they were re-armed with 20 mm cannons.
Rafael Advanced Defense Systems produces the Samson family of remotely controlled pods (known as Katlanit in Israel) with 12,7mm machine guns for the Israel Defense Forces and international customers. These pods can be mounted on various armored vehicles, ground-based drones, and used in stationary positions.
Samson RCWS remotely controlled module with a 12,7 mm M2HB machine gun
Elbit Systems also produces similar modules. The sighting system includes a high-resolution daytime video camera, a thermal imaging night sight, and a laser rangefinder. The optoelectronic equipment allows the operator or commander of the combat vehicle to detect targets, measure distances, and fire using a joystick and LCD screen, all while protected by armor.
Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Elbit Systems are currently urgently upgrading their remotely controlled modules for combating unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which is integrating air target detection equipment into the fire control system, as well as hardware and software that enable the automated destruction of aerial targets.
Captured anti-aircraft machine gun mounts with 12,7 mm DShK/DShKM machine guns
After several Arab-Israeli conflicts, the IDF had up to a thousand 12,7mm DShK and DShKM machine guns at its disposal, fit for further use.
12,7 mm DShK machine gun on a pedestal mount
Along with the American Browning M2HB, the Soviet DShK/DShKM became the main 12,7mm machine guns during the Cold War and were widely used worldwide. It's not known exactly how many of these machine guns the Arabs received, but given that over 1500 were transferred to Egypt alone, it's likely tanks The T-54, T-55, and T-62, armed with large-caliber anti-aircraft machine guns, provide an indirect indication of the volume of deliveries. Besides tanks, these large-caliber machine guns were mounted on other vehicles, and were widely used to protect air defense missile systems and radar positions from low-altitude air strikes, as well as to provide fire support and air defense for infantry units. The bulk of large-caliber machine guns supplied to Syria, Egypt, and Iraq came from the Soviet Union, but Jordan purchased licensed copies of the DShKM from Czechoslovakia.
The modernized DShKM, introduced in 1946, differed from the DShK that had seen World War II not only in its different muzzle brake design but also in the silhouette of the receiver cover, which eliminated the drum mechanism and replaced it with a dual-feed receiver. The new feed mechanism allowed the machine gun to be used in twin and quadruple mounts. Along with the feed mechanism, the belt design was also changed. Instead of the previous one-piece 50-round belt with spring-connected links, a belt with a "crab"-type link, consisting of individual pieces of 10 links, was adopted. The barrel mount was also changed, and a number of measures were implemented to improve durability and reliability. The automatic system, as on the previous model, operated by diverting part of the propellant gases. The barrel is locked by a longitudinally sliding bolt with the help of two symmetrical lugs (larvae), which are moved horizontally into the cutouts on the side walls of the receiver.
12,7 mm DShKM machine gun
The machine gun weighs 148 kg with its ammunition belt and mount, without the shield. The machine gun body weighs 33,5 kg. The effective range against aerial targets does not exceed 1500 m, with an altitude reach of up to 700 m. It fires 12,7 x 108 mm cartridges. The B-32 armor-piercing incendiary bullet with a steel core weighing 48,3 g has a muzzle velocity of 840 m/s and penetrates 15 mm of armor at a distance of 500 m. The rate of fire is 550–600 rounds per minute. The effective rate of fire is no more than 125 rounds per minute. The infantry version of the DShKM is equipped with a universal wheeled tripod mount. When preparing to fire at aerial targets, the wheeled mount and armor shield are detached. The rear support of the mount extends and transforms into a tall, folding tripod. In this position, the machine gun provides a 360-degree field of fire and high elevation angles. For the gunner's convenience in anti-aircraft mode, the machine gun is additionally equipped with shoulder rests. Like the Browning heavy machine gun, its effective range against aerial targets is approximately 800 meters.
In the IDF, the majority of DShKMs were used on captured T-54, T-55, and T-62 tanks. In 1967 alone, the Israelis captured over two hundred operational T-54 and T-55 tanks.
In 1973, about 500 more T-54, T-55 and T-62 tanks suitable for further use were among the trophies.
Initially, the Soviet-made tanks were used in their original form, but later these combat vehicles, known under the general Israeli name "Tiran", were rearmed with 105-mm guns and machine guns firing Western-standard ammunition.
Also among the trophies were 12,7mm Czechoslovakian Vz.38/46 machine guns, a licensed version of the DShKM. Of particular interest is the Czechoslovakian-made quadruple ZPU Vz.53 (also known as the M53), which entered serial production in 1954.
Anti-aircraft machine gun mount Vz.53
The Vz.53 ZPU had a detachable wheel chassis and weighed 558 kg in its firing position. Its four 12,7 mm barrels fired up to 60 rounds per second. Its effective range against aerial targets was approximately 1500 m. In terms of range and altitude, the Vz.53 was inferior to the Soviet quadruple 14,5 mm ZPU-4, but the Vz.53 was much more compact and weighed approximately a quarter as much in transport. It could be towed by a GAZ-69 vehicle or stored in the back of a truck.
But, like the infantry DShKM on wheeled tripod mounts, the towed quadruple 12,7-mm anti-aircraft machine gun mounts of Czechoslovakian manufacture were used by the Israel Defense Forces for a very short time, which, apparently, was due to the reluctance to multiply the range of ammunition and complicate the supply of troops with it.
A Vz.53 anti-aircraft machine gun on display at the Israeli Museum.
The Israelis transferred Soviet-style 12,7mm machine guns to their allies and also sold them on the global arms market. In the 1980s, a number of DShKMs captured by the IDF ended up in the hands of Afghan rebels.
13,2 mm machine gun mounts based on the Hotchkiss Mle 1930 machine gun
In 1948, the Israeli armed forces had 15 twin anti-aircraft mounts with 13,2 mm Hotchkiss Mle 1930 machine guns at their disposal, which exceeded the number of 12,7 mm Browning M2HB machine guns they had.
A twin anti-aircraft mount with 13,2 mm Hotchkiss Mle 1930 machine guns on display at the Israeli Museum.
The Hotchkiss Mle 1930 machine gun was developed by the Hotchkiss company based on World War I experience and chambered for the 13,2×96mm cartridge. The 52-gram bullet left the barrel at a velocity of 790 m/s, making it suitable for engaging low-flying aircraft and light armored vehicles. Its effective range against aerial targets was roughly equivalent to that of the American Browning M2HB.
The machine gun's automatic system operated using a long-stroke gas piston located under the barrel. To ensure reliable operation, the volume of propellant gases diverted by the machine gun could be adjusted using a manual regulator, depending on environmental conditions and the degree of contamination of the weapon. The machine gun had a replaceable air-cooled barrel with the characteristic finning that became the hallmark of the Hotchkiss company. The machine gun body weighed approximately 40 kg. The rate of fire was 450 rounds per minute. Ammunition could include rounds with conventional, incendiary, tracer, armor-piercing incendiary, and armor-piercing tracer bullets.
The Hotchkiss Mle 1930 heavy machine gun entered service with the French Army in 1930. However, production rates were initially slow, and the military was unable to determine its intended use for a long time. Although the manufacturer developed a wide range of mounts and mountings—from simple infantry single-gun mounts to complex mechanized twin and quadruple mounts—the heavy machine guns were primarily exported. Infantry generals initially rejected the Mle 1930 as an anti-aircraft weapon, arguing that its heavy bullets could harm their own troops when dropped. Only in the second half of the 1930s did 13,2mm anti-aircraft mounts begin to enter service with the French Army in significant quantities. Single-barrel and twin-barrel ZPU mounts on universal tripod mounts were produced for the ground forces, but twin-barrel mounts were the most widely used.
The 13,2mm twin mounts were fed from detachable 30-round box magazines attached to the top of the receiver. After all the rounds had been fired, the bolt catch was engaged, and when a full magazine was inserted, the cartridge was chambered automatically, increasing the combat rate of fire. The mount weighed over 200 kg. If necessary, it could be disassembled and transported in sections. A single gunner could fire the mount, but maintaining a high combat rate of fire required the coordinated work of two loaders.
Even before the official establishment of the Jewish state, Israelis secretly purchased 13,2mm twin-barreled mounts from Italy. They fired 13.2×94mm cartridges (with an extended bullet), manufactured in French factories during the German occupation. This Franco-German cartridge, known as the 1.32 cm Pzgr. 821(e), had a steel case, a bullet with leading copper bands, and an armor-piercing, hardened steel core. It was a fairly powerful round, with a muzzle energy of 16,640 J. At a range of 500 meters, it could penetrate 14 mm of armor. Considering that the combat rate of fire of the 13,2 mm twin gun reached 120 rounds per minute, by the standards of the 1940s, this was a fairly powerful anti-aircraft gun, capable of successfully combating low-flying combat aircraft.
To improve mobility and provide armor protection for the crews, most of Israel's 13,2mm anti-aircraft guns were mounted on wheeled and tracked armored personnel carriers in the first half of the 1950s. These improvised self-propelled anti-aircraft guns continued to be used until the early 1960s.
14,5 mm anti-aircraft machine gun mounts based on the KPV machine gun
In addition to the 12,7 mm DShK/DShKM machine guns and their Czechoslovakian copies, the Israeli military also had at its disposal several hundred 14,5 mm ZPU-1, ZPU-2 and ZPU-4 anti-aircraft guns.
Anti-aircraft guns ZPU-1 and ZPU-2 abandoned by the Egyptians on the Sinai Peninsula
All of these mounts, based on the 14,5mm Vladimirov machine gun (KPV), differed in the number of barrels, mount design, and weight. The KPV machine gun's automatic mechanism operates using the recoil force of the barrel during its short stroke. Locking is accomplished by rotating the bolt head, which is rigidly engaged with the barrel's sleeve.
The KPV machine gun has a long firing range for a weapon of its caliber and good armor penetration, which was achieved through the use of a very powerful 14,5 × 114 mm cartridge, previously used for firing armor-piercing rifles.
14,5×114mm and 5,45×39mm cartridges
The 14,5mm bullet weighs 60-64g, depending on its intended use, and has a muzzle velocity of 976 to 1005 m/s. The KPV's muzzle energy reaches 31 kJ (for comparison, the 12,7mm DShK machine gun has only 18 kJ, and the 20mm ShVAK aircraft cannon has approximately 28 kJ). The B-32 armor-piercing incendiary bullet with a steel core penetrates 20mm of armor (positioned at a 20° angle to the normal) at a range of 200 meters. The BS-41 armor-piercing incendiary bullet with a ceramic core is capable of penetrating 30mm of armor at a range of 150 meters. The ammunition load may also include 14,5 mm cartridges with an armor-piercing incendiary tracer bullet BST weighing 68,5 g, with an instant-action incendiary bullet MDZ weighing 60 g, with a sighting-incendiary bullet ZP.
Initially, the Vladimirov heavy machine gun, adopted shortly after the end of World War II, attempted to implement the concept of an "automatic anti-tank rifle" and was used on the Kharykin infantry mount, designed exclusively for firing at ground targets. However, due to the dramatic improvement in tank protection after the war, and the urgent need for faster-firing and longer-range anti-aircraft guns than the DShK/DShKM, a number of highly successful anti-tank guns were developed for the KPV, which were actively used in numerous local conflicts.
The ZPU-1 anti-aircraft gun, adopted by the Soviet Army in 1949, was designed to protect infantry units from enemy aircraft operating at altitudes of up to 1,5 km, as well as to destroy lightly armored vehicles at a range of up to 1 km.
A 14,5mm ZPU-1 anti-aircraft gun on display at an Israeli museum.
The ZPU-1 consists of a 14,5mm KPV machine gun, a light carriage, a wheeled chassis, and sighting devices. The carriage provides a 360-degree field of fire with elevation angles from -8° to +88°. The rate of fire is up to 600 rounds per minute. The ammunition is fed from a metal link belt, stored in a 150-round ammunition box. The mount weighs 437 kg. The lower carriage is equipped with a wheeled chassis, allowing the mount to be towed by light military vehicles. For transportation over rough terrain and in mountainous conditions, the ZPU-1 can be disassembled into individual components and transported (or carried) in packs weighing up to 80 kg. The effective firing range against aerial targets is up to 1500 m, and the altitude reach is 1000 m.
The ZPU-2 consists of two 14,5 mm KPV machine guns, a lower carriage mount with three lifts, a rotating platform, an upper carriage mount (with aiming mechanisms, cradle and ammunition box brackets, and gunner's seats), a cradle, sighting devices, and a detachable wheeled chassis.
14,5 mm anti-aircraft gun ZPU-2 in transport position
The guidance mechanisms allow for 6-degree fire with elevation angles from –7° to +90°. The maximum target speed is up to 200 m/s. The total rate of fire is up to 1200 rounds per minute. For long-range transport, the twin mount, ammunition, and six-man crew are transported in the back of an army truck. Although the combat-ready ZPU-2 weighs up to 1000 kg, it can be transported over short distances by a crew of six.
The most powerful 14,5mm mounts transferred to the Arabs were the quadruple ZPU-4. In combat position, such a mount weighs just over 2000 kg, which is roughly equivalent to the 37mm 61-K anti-aircraft gun, model 1939. The combined rate of fire from four barrels is 2200-2400 rounds per minute. The rate of fire is up to 1000 rounds per minute. The ZPU-4 is towed by light army vehicles. The suspension of the wheels allows for high speed travel. The crew is six.
A 14,5mm ZPU-4 anti-aircraft gun on display at an Israeli museum.
An automatic anti-aircraft sight of the construction type with a calculating mechanism that takes into account target speed, course, and dive angle is used for fire control. This allowed for the effective engagement of aerial targets flying at speeds of up to 300 m/s. More sophisticated sighting devices, compared to single-barrel and twin-barrel mounts, provide an extended engagement zone: 2000 m in range and 1500 m in altitude.
The Israelis made limited use of captured ZPU-1 and ZPU-2 guns. Judging by available photographs, the quadruple 14,5mm guns were far more popular, mostly deployed in fixed positions near airfields, near headquarters, communications centers, radar stations, and other important facilities, as well as at high altitudes.
It's unknown whether the 14,5mm anti-aircraft machine guns were responsible for downing Arab aircraft, but they were actively used by the Israel Defense Forces until the early 1980s and were kept in reserve until the mid-1980s. The Israelis transferred some of the least worn ZPUs to the South Lebanon Army and sold them to Third World countries.
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