The Israeli Gentle Machine Gun Negev NG-7 has been procured underneath the emergency buy clause | Credit score: Israel Weapon Industries
New Delhi: Troops positioned alongside the Line of Management (LoC) and the Line of Precise Management (LAC) underneath the Northern Command will get the primary tranche of Israeli Gentle Machine Gun (LMG) Negev NG-7 that has been procured underneath the fast-track procurement course of (FTP).
Sources within the defence and safety institution mentioned that whereas 6,000 of the 7.62X51 mm LMGs, with belt ammunition functionality, landed within the nation in January, their acceptance trials are being accomplished and that ahead troops will get their palms on them subsequent week.
The brand new LMGs will exchange the 5.56x45mm INSAS LMG, which is a by-product of the INSAS assault rifle.
That is the primary tranche of the 16,479 Israeli weapons ordered by the Military final March when ceasefire violations by Pakistan at LoC was on the rise and earlier than the brand new spherical of tensions on the LAC.
The Military is individually a bigger order for the LMGs, which will likely be via the Make in India route.
Whereas some components of the Negev are procured from India and the corporate has a three way partnership with the Adani Group’s PLR Techniques, the fast-track procurement was inked straight with the Israeli agency.
Subsequent Tranche By September Or October
Sources mentioned that the following tranche of the ten,000 LMGs will likely be delivered to India by September or October this yr in keeping with the schedule of the contract, which was valued at Rs 880 crore.
The defence ministry had final yr mentioned that provisioning of this “operationally pressing and really critically wanted weapon” will enhance the boldness of the frontline troops and supply a lot wanted fight energy to the Armed Forces.
The Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for this quick monitor procurement was given by the Defence Minister Rajnath Singh-led Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) in February 2018.
As a part of the procurement course of, an Military delegation had in 2019 visited three international locations — Bulgaria, Israel and South Korea — to see the choices out there. It lastly settled on the Negev that’s already in use with the nation’s particular forces.
Capabilities of The NG-7
As a result of the calibre of NG-7 is greater than those it’s changing, the Negev may have greater deadly firepower.
And since it has the belt ammunition characteristic, the brand new LMG will be capable of have sustained fee of fireplace in contrast to the sooner one which was journal fed. This meant that magazines needed to be modified often.
It is usually able to pinpoint, single bullet taking pictures for enhanced firing accuracy, and has a spread of over 800 meters, according to the necessities of the Military.
In automated mode, the NG-7 has a fee of fireplace of over 700 bullets per minute. Weighing 7.5 kg, the LMG could be fired from a variety of mounts, automobiles, helicopters and naval vessels.