Engineering:IWI Negev

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Short description: Israeli light machine gun
IWI Negev
IDF Negev
Negev chambered in 5.56×45mm NATO
TypeLight machine gun
Place of originIsrael
Service history
In service1997–present[1]
Used bySee Users
WarsSecond Intifada
2006 Lebanon War
Gaza War (2008–09)
War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)[2]
Operation Protective Edge
Russo-Ukrainian War
2023 Israel–Hamas war
Production history
DesignerIsrael Military Industries
Designed1985–1990
ManufacturerIsrael Weapon Industries
made under license by Punj Lloyd Raksha Systems[3][4]
Z111 Factory
Produced1995–present
VariantsSee Variants
Specifications
Mass7.65 kg (16.9 lb) (Negev NG-5)
7.6 kg (17 lb) (Negev NG-7)
Length1,020 mm (40 in) (stock extended) (Negev and Negev NG-5)
1,100 mm (43 in) (stock extended) (Negev NG-7)
Barrel length460 mm (18 in) (Negev NG-5)
508 mm (20.0 in) (Negev NG-7)
Cartridge5.56×45mm NATO (Negev and Negev NG-5)
7.62×51mm NATO (Negev NG-7)
ActionGas-operated, rotating bolt
Rate of fire850–1050 RPM (Negev and Negev NG-5)
600–750 RPM (Negev NG-7)
Muzzle velocity915 m/s (3,000 ft/s) (Negev and Negev NG-5)
860 m/s (2,800 ft/s) (Negev NG-7)
Effective firing range300–1,000 m sight adjustments
Maximum firing range1,200 m (1,300 yd)
Feed system150-, 200-round disintegrating M27 ammunition belt, 35-round box magazine or STANAG NATO magazines (Negev and Negev NG-5)
100- and 125-round disintegrating M13 NATO ammunition belts (Negev NG-7)
SightsAperture with elevation drum, adjustable front post, folding tritium night sights, and a Picatinny rail for various optical sights.

The IWI Negev (also known as the Negev NG-5) is a 5.56×45mm NATO light machine gun developed by Israel Weapon Industries (IWI), formerly Israel Military Industries Ltd. (IMI).

In 2012, IWI introduced the Negev NG-7, which is chambered in 7.62×51mm NATO. The NG stands for Next Generation. Both variants of the Negev are in service with the Israel Defense Forces.

Development

The Negev started development in 1985 by Israel Military Industries (now Israel Weapon Industries) to replace the then in service Galil ARM. The Negev entered service with the IDF in 1997, after extensive testing conducted by the IDF Ordnance Corps.[5]

Design details

The Negev is a gas-operated, air-cooled, open bolt, select-fire, light machine gun (LMG) with a rotating bolt. The Negev uses a long-stroke gas piston system that runs under the barrel and is connected directly to the bolt carrier, the gas system comes with a three position gas regulator for use with different feed types and conditions.[6] The design was meant to be reliable, especially in adverse conditions.[7] It was officially adopted by the Israeli Defense Forces in 1997 (IDF).

Barrel

The Negev has a quick-change chrome-lined cold hammer forged barrel. The barrel is fitted with a slotted flash suppressor and a fixed carry handle, which is used to transport the weapon and change an overheated barrel.

During the weapon's initial development a barrel with a 1 in (25 mm) (1:12 in) rifling twist rate was also planned, adapted for the lightweight M193 cartridge. Additionally, a multifunction muzzle device was designed, used to launch rifle grenades.[citation needed]

Sights and hardware

Sights

The Negev's iron sights (closed-type) consist of a front post (adjustable for both windage and elevation) and a rear aperture sight with an elevation adjustment drum, with 300 to 1,000 m range settings in 100 m increments. The sight line radius is 440 millimeters (17.3 in).[8] The Negev is equipped with tritium sights for night-time operations, the vials are embedded into the front and rear sights, with a night sight exposed on the rear aperture.

The Negev has its sight rail mounted to the frame of the gun, and not the feed top cover, which is detached when reloading. This allows it to stay zeroed for a longer period of time when mounting red-dot, reflex sights or other optics.[5]

Stock

The full size Negev and Negev SF was manufactured with a metal side-folding (right) fixed length stock. The Negev NG-5 came fitted with an adjustable length folding stock, with cheek well adjustment, allowing for easier fitting. The design of the recoil springs and followers, allow the 5.56 mm model Negevs to fire with the stock folded.[9][10]

Bipod

Every variant of the Negev can have a folding bipod, installed to the forward end of the handguard and folded under and becoming part of the handguard when stowed. The receiver also has slots and hooks used to secure the weapon to vehicle mounting hardware, including helicopters.[5][9]

The Negev SF 'Commando' variants also come with a 45 degree forward grip "assault handle", allowing controlled fire while not using the bipod. The assault grip and bipod can be installed together, however the bipod cannot be folded with the assault grip installed.[11][12]

The Negev's barrel can be optionally fitted with mounting hardware that allows the Negev to mount a laser pointer or reflex sight; and on the latest models, the Negev comes with more picatinny rails, including on the handguard allowing users to mount other hardware, including: forward grips, laser pointers or laser target and illumination devices.[11]

Ammunition

IDF infantryman firing a Negev during a training exercise

The standard Negev is chambered in 5.56×45mm NATO, optimized for the SS109 cartridge. The Negev NG-7 and 7 ULMG variants are chambered in 7.62×51mm NATO.

The Negev feeds from an M27 disintegrating, open-link ammunition belt, carried in a 150-round fabric container that clips into the magazine well, or alternatively from a 35-round box magazine from the Galil assault rifle, or a 30-round STANAG magazine from the M16 rifle (with the use of an adapter). 200-round ammunition belt containers are also available. Belted ammunition is introduced into the feed tray port from the left side, while the magazine is inserted vertically into the magazine well at the base of the receiver.

The feed system, which loosely copies the Czechoslovakian Vz. 52[6] and the PK, uses a lever mounted on the left wall of the receiver and driven by a cam in the recoiling bolt carrier to turn a small feed pawl. The belt is pushed by the pawl only during the rearward movement of the bolt carrier.

The Negev 7 ULMG and ULMG SF, can be converted to 6.5mm Creedmoor cartridge by changing barrels. In 6.5mm Creedmoor, the Negev can feed from standard M13 disintegrating links.[13]

Variants

  • Negev (1997-2012) – Released in 1997. It has a barrel length of 460 mm (18.11 inches) and can be fired either in semi or fully automatic. The pre-NG Negev came with a folding, fixed length skeleton stock.
  • Negev SF (1997-2012) – The Negev SF, or "Commando" version, is a compact variant of the Negev. It uses a shorter barrel and is primarily fitted with a side grip (NEGEV Assault Grip). It has a barrel length of 330 mm (12.99 inches).
  • Negev NG-5 (2012-present) – The Negev NG-5 has been renamed the Negev.[citation needed] The updated Negev has a folding adjustable stock, with adjustable cheek well.
  • Negev NG-5 SF (2012-present) – A compact variant of the Negev NG-5. It uses a shorter barrel and is primarily fitted with the Negev assault grip.[12] It has a barrel length of 330 mm (13 in). The Negev NG-5 SF has been renamed to the Negev SF.[citation needed] The updated Negev SF has a folding adjustable stock, with adjustable cheek well.
IDF commando with a Negev NG-7 during the 2023 Israel–Hamas war
  • Negev NG-7 (2012-present) – Chambered for the 7.62×51mm NATO cartridge. It has a barrel length of 508 mm (20.0 inches) and is select-fire. It is fed by a 100- or 125-round assault drum magazine containing disintegrating M13 NATO standard ammunition belts or NATO standard ammunition belts and has two gas regulator settings as the possibility for box magazine feeding was omitted. The IWI eLog weapon-embedded sensor module was added to collect and store data on the actual use of the weapons for more efficient maintenance management and servicing by armourers.[14]
  • Negev NG-7 SF (2012-present) – A compact variant of the Negev NG-7. It uses a shorter barrel and is primarily fitted with a side grip (Negev assault grip).[12] It has a barrel length of 420 mm (16.5 inches).
  • Negev NG-7 SF 13 (2012-present) – Identical to the NG-7 SF but with a 330 mm (13.0 in) barrel.
  • Negev 7 ULMG (2023-present) – Released in 2023, based on customer feedback for a lighter alternative to the NG-7. The ULMG is fitted with the same barrel as the NG-7 SF, a 420 mm (16.5 in) long barrel that is shorter than NG-7, and it is 1.4 kg lighter than the NG-7.[13] The ULMG can be converted to 6.5mm Creedmoor by changing barrels.
  • Negev 7 ULMG SF – a compact variant of the Negev 7 ULMG, fitted with a 330 mm (13.0 in) long barrel.[13]

Users

A map with Negev users in blue
  •  Azerbaijan[15]
  •  Brazil: Used by Military Police of São Paulo State,[16] Military Police of Amazonas State[17][18]
  •  Cameroon: Used by Battalion d'intervention rapide[19]
  •  Colombia[1]
  •  Costa Rica[1]
  •  Cyprus: Used by mechanised infantry, paratroopers and the Special Forces.[20]
  •  Democratic Republic of Congo: Used by Presidential Guard units in 2010[21]
  •  Equatorial Guinea[21]
  •  Estonia[1][22]
  •  Georgia[23] Since May 2010, standard issue light machine gun of the GAF. Heavily used by Georgian units in Afghanistan.[24]
  •  India: 5.56 variant serving as standard issue LMG for Special Forces from earlier. An order for 16,479 NG-7s was placed in March 2020 to replace all the INSAS Light Machine guns present with the Indian Army,[25] which were subsequently delivered in February 2021.[26]
  •  Israel: The Negev was adopted by the Israel Defense Forces in 1997[1][27] and the Negev NG-7 was adopted in 2012.[28] During the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel, Israeli infantry brigades started transitioning to the NG-7 model.[29]
  •  Ivory Coast:[19]
  •  Kenya: Kenya Defense Forces[30]
  •  Mexico: Mexican Federal Police[31]
  •  North Macedonia:[32] Police Special Forces
  •  Paraguay: Paraguayan Army.[33]
  •  Philippines: Philippine National Police[34] Philippine Coast Guard
  •  Senegal: Used by special forces and commandos[19]
  •  Tanzania: Used by Tanzanian Special Forces.[19]
  •  Thailand: Purchased 1,000 machine guns in 2007, and another 550 in 2008.[35]
  •  Vietnam: In service with Naval Special Forces.[36]
  •  Ukraine[37]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Kemp, Ian (March 2007). "Lightweight Firepower". Asianmilitaryreview.com - Asian Military Review. http://www.mil.ee/et/kaitsevagi/tehnika/relvad/kergekuulipilduja-negev. 
  2. ↑ Vining, Miles (22 April 2016). "ISAF armament of BLS". https://www.sadefensejournal.com/wp/?p=3523. 
  3. ↑ Peri, Dinakar (4 May 2017). "Punj Lloyd, IWI of Israel make small arms in India". http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/punj-lloyd-iwi-of-israel-make-small-arms-in-india/article18383248.ece. 
  4. ↑ "Tavor in India : Israeli Assault Rifle's Journey and Prospects in India". 16 December 2017. https://www.strategicfront.org/israeli-assault-rifles-journey-prospects-india/. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Hartman, Mike (2008-05-28). "NEGEV Light Machine GUN (LMG) 5.56 mm". https://ndiastorage.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/ndia/2008/Intl/Hartman.pdf. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Negev - Modern Firearms" (in en). 2010-10-27. https://modernfirearms.net/en/machineguns/israel-machineguns/negev-eng/. 
  7. ↑ James H. Willbanks, 2004. Machine Guns: An Illustrated History of Their Impact. ABC-CLIO. 2004. ISBN 9781851094806. https://books.google.com/books?id=VWkYoAkoMHIC&pg=PA244. Retrieved 2015-06-30. 
  8. ↑ Shea, Dan (1 October 1997). THE ELUSIVE ISRAELI NEGEV LMG - Images not published 1997/028.jpg (JPG). 1. Small Arms Review. Archived from the original on 2023-11-11. Retrieved 2023-11-11.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 McCollum, Ian (21 July 2019). Negev LMG: The Israeli Take on the SAW. Forgotten Weapons.
  10. ↑ "IWI Catalog 2020". https://www.pointtrading.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IWI_catalog_En-v1-PT-Version.pdf?6bfec1&6bfec1. 
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 "IWI Catalog 2021-2022" (in en-US). https://iwi.net/catalog/. 
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 "NEGEV ASSAULT GRIP - IWI" (in en-US). IWI. http://iwi.net/product/assault-grip-3/. 
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 "IWI unveils Negev 7 Ultra Light Machine Gun" (in en). https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/iwi-unveils-negev-7-ultra-light-machine-gun. 
  14. ↑ Katoch, P.C. "Israeli Light Machine Guns are Coming". SP Guide Publications Ltd. http://www.spslandforces.com/experts-speak/?id=632&h=Israeli-Light-Machine-Guns-are-Coming. 
  15. ↑ "News.Az - Azerbaijan buys great deal of weapons from Israel last year". news.az. http://www.news.az/articles/politics/74997. 
  16. ↑ "Rubens Valente - Ativista quer barrar importação de metralhadoras israelenses pela PM de SP". https://noticias.uol.com.br/colunas/rubens-valente/2020/09/25/policia-militar-sao-paulo-metralhadora-importacao-israelense.htm. 
  17. ↑ Ventura, Iolanda (11 May 2021). "PM no Amazonas recebe metralhadoras israelenses que disparam 700 tiros por minuto". https://amazonasatual.com.br/pm-no-amazonas-recebe-metralhadoras-israelenses-que-disparam-700-tiros-por-minuto/. 
  18. ↑ "Belarmino Lins destaca reforço à segurança no interior do Estado". 2021. https://roteirodenoticias.com.br/circuito-politico/2021/05/belarmino-lins-destaca-reforco-a-seguranca-no-interior-do-estado/. 
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 Binnie, Jeremy; de Cherisey, Erwan (2017). "New-model African armies". Jane's. http://www.janes.com/images/assets/520/71520/New-model_African_armies.pdf. 
  20. ↑ Boguslavsky, Eyal (4 January 2021). "Cypriot paratroopers use Israeli weapons". https://www.israeldefense.co.il/en/node/47518. 
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 Wezeman, Siemon T.. "Israeli arms transfers to sub-Saharan Africa". SIPRI Background Paper (SIPRI). http://www.nonproliferation.eu/documents/other/siemontwezeman4e9eb5e5806bd.pdf. 
  22. ↑ "Eesti Kaitsevägi - 5,56 mm kergekuulipilduja Negev - Kaitsevägi". Mil.ee. http://www.mil.ee/et/kaitsevagi/tehnika/relvad/kergekuulipilduja-negev. 
  23. ↑ "Negev in Georgian army". Mod.gov.ge. http://mod.gov.ge/popup.php?Id=425&lang=0. 
  24. ↑ Vining, Miles (22 April 2016). "ISAF armament of BLS". http://www.sadefensejournal.com/wp/isaf-armament-of-bls/. 
  25. ↑ Bedi, Rahul (22 March 2020). "India signs USD117.8 million deal with IWI for LMGs | Jane's 360". https://www.janes.com/article/95028/india-signs-usd117-8-million-deal-with-iwi-for-lmgs. 
  26. ↑ Moss, Matthew (10 February 2021). "Indian Army Receives First Negev Light Machine Guns". https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2021/02/10/indian-army-receives-first-negev-light-machine-guns/. 
  27. ↑ Hogg, Ian (2002). Jane's Guns Recognition Guide. Jane's Information Group. ISBN:0-00-712760-X.
  28. ↑ Negev NG7 - Israel-Weapon.com
  29. ↑ https://www.inn.co.il/news/619149
  30. ↑ "Kenya Army's Negev light machine guns and Galil sniper rifles Delivered by Israel Weapon Industries (IWI) – Strategic Intelligence Service". 6 January 2012. http://intelligencebriefs.com/kenya-armys-negev-light-machine-guns-and-galil-sniper-rifles-delivered-by-israel-weapon-industries-iwi/. 
  31. ↑ Mexican Federal Police Using IWI Negev Machine Gun - Thefirearmblog.com, 2 August 2013
  32. ↑ McNab, Chris (2017). The FN Minimi Light Machine Gun: M249, L108A1, L110A2, and other variants. Weapon 53. Osprey Publishing. p. 78. ISBN 978-1-4728-1623-8. https://books.google.com/books?id=pXe9DAAAQBAJ&pg=PA78. 
  33. ↑ "Paraguay Army Chooses IWI's "Negev"". 1 August 2015. http://www.israeldefense.co.il/en/content/paraguay-army-chooses-iwis-negev/. 
  34. ↑ Dela Rosa, Ronald (May 20, 2017). "PNP Director General Dela Rosa's One Year Report for 2016-2017" (in en). http://www.pnp.gov.ph/images/publications/CPNPDelaRosa_OneYearReport16-17.pdf. 
  35. ↑ "Infantry Weapons: The Future Beckons for Asia". http://www.asianmilitaryreview.com/CurrentIssue/dl.php?filename%3D201003140001071.pdf. 
  36. ↑ "Những bức ảnh về Quân Đội Nhân Dân Việt Nam (Phần 4) - Trang 480". TTVNOL. http://ttvnol.com/gdqp/1221115/page-480. 
  37. ↑ Boguslavsky, Eyal. "Ukraine's Tavors – a survey". https://www.israeldefense.co.il/en/node/54616. 

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