Cape Town - A challenge to three young engineers to improve on an infantry soldier's most trusted ally, the machine gun, has resulted in a new, almost 20 percent lighter weapon that is already being offered to current and prospective international clients, Denel said on Friday.
A Denel spokesman told the African News Agency (ANA) that the three young employees of Denel Land Systems (DLS) - Dakalo Nekhumbe, Phindile Mashaba and Marumo Talane - took enthusiastically to the challenge to make the machine gun lighter and easier to handle without compromising firepower or reliability.
The company described the approach of the three, who are products of the Denel Engineering Academy, as applying “out-of-the-box thinking”. The result of their efforts was a new generation, lightweight machine gun, the DMG-5, which made its debut at the recent Africa Aerospace and Defence show at the Waterkloof Air Force Base, the largest event of its kind in Africa.
Denel said the weapon's innovative and revolutionary features immediately attracted attention among visitors from the global defence media, industry and the general public.
The Denel spokesman on Friday told ANA that they expected to start deliveries of the DMG-5 in early 2017. Africa's leading designer of weapons and vehicles systems used by infantry forces manufactures the world-renowned R4 assault rifle, the primary weapon used by South African peacekeeping forces in Africa.
Denel said soldiers on the move rely on the sustained firepower offered by a machine gun but such weapons can be heavy. The existing SS77 manufactured by Denel met requirements regarding firepower, durability and reliability. However, soldiers and weapon designers were always searching for improvements - in this case a machine gun that was lighter to carry and easier to handle - without cutting corners or compromising on firepower and accuracy.
Stephan Burger, Denel Land Systems chief executive officer, said: “Mashaba, Nekhumbe and Talane were given a simple, yet challenging brief to modernise the weapon, decrease its weight and retain its reputation as one of the most trusted elements in the infantry's arsenal.”
Within these guidelines, he said, they were given freedom and flexibility. Burger added that the challenges were met “with great enthusiasm and professionalism”.
Denel said the new weapon represents a major leap forward in weapons design. A weight reduction of almost 20 percent had been achieved, the DMG-5 tips the scales at a mere 8.3kg compared with the 10.3kg of the standard SS77. Among the design changes is a new barrel design, new cocking handles, new flash hiders, light weight trigger housing and a co-ax handgrip. With each change in design precious grams were shaved off the weight of the weapon without compromising on stability and durability. The result is a well-balanced, lightweight weapon which is ideally suited for modern soldiers, Denel said.
The DMG-5 is among the lightest machine guns in the world. It can fire both 7.62mm or 5.56mm calibre ammunition and can be enhanced with optional tactical attachments such as optical sights, night vision equipment, torches or laser pointers. The grip can be adjusted to suit the personal requirements of the operator. The weapon is effective at a range of up to 1,500 metres and has a firing rate of up to 900 rounds per minute.
“The success of the project confirms Denel's commitment to guide and mentor young talent through the early stages of their careers,” said Burger. “We gave them the responsibility to work on a major project - but also the freedom to explore their own ideas and utilise the knowledge they have gained during their training and education.
“The result represents a major breakthrough for Denel, which will definitely contribute to our reputation as one of the leading global innovators in design and advanced manufacturing and among the top 100 defence companies in the world,” said Burger.
The weapon is in a pre-production phase. The fundamental operating system of the machine gun has not changed so no major qualifications tests are required. This means existing tooling can be used, thus shortening the developmental time scales.
African News Agency