Vektor SS-77
| SS-77 | |
|---|---|
|
South African National Defence Force soldier with a SS-77 machine gun | |
| Type | General Purpose Machine Gun |
| Place of origin |
 South Africa |
| Service history | |
| Used by | See Users |
| Wars | South African Border War |
| Production history | |
| Designed | 1977 |
| Manufacturer | Denel Land Systems |
| Variants | Variants |
| Specifications | |
| Weight |
9.6 kg (21 lb 3 oz) (SS-77) 8.26 kg (18 lb 3 oz) (Mini SS) |
| Length |
1155 mm (SS-77) 1000 mm (Mini-SS) |
| Barrel length |
550 mm (SS-77) 500 mm (Mini-SS) |
|
| |
| Cartridge |
7.62×51mm NATO (SS-77) 5.56×45mm NATO (Mini-SS) |
| Action | Gas-operated, open bolt |
| Rate of fire | 600–900 rounds/min |
| Feed system | 100- or 200-round belt |
The Vektor SS-77 is a general-purpose machine gun designed and manufactured by Denel Land Systems—formerly Lyttleton Engineering Works (LIW)—of South Africa.
History
In the late 1970s, South Africa was involved in an international controversy over apartheid and the South African Border War in Angola. As a result, it was subject to an international arms embargo and had to, out of necessity, design and manufacture its own weapons.[1] The SS-77 was developed to replace the FN MAG. It was designed in 1977 by Richard Joseph Smith and Lazlo Soregi, hence the name "SS-77". "SS" for Smith and Soregi, "77" for 1977, the year it was designed.[1]
Mini-SS
In the early 1990s, a light machine gun version, the Mini-SS, chambered in 5.56×45mm NATO was introduced. LIW also manufactured kits to convert existing SS-77 to the Mini-SS. Changes include the weight decrease from 9.6 to 8.26 kg (21 lb 3 oz to 18 lb 3 oz) with a folding bipod and fixed butt.[2]
Users
Colombia: Policía Nacional de Colombia, Infantería de Marina de Colombia.[3]
Kenya: Kenya Air Force: For IAR 330 helicopters.[4]
Kuwait[5]
Malaysia: Royal Malaysian Navy-PASKAL[6]
Philippines: Philippine National Police-Special Action Force[7]
Romania: 215 SS-77 MK1 LMGs acquired in late 2008 and delivered in 2009.[8]
Rwanda: Some delivered in 1992.[9]- South Africa: General-purpose machine gun of the South African National Defence Force.[10] Issued since 1986.[11]
Variants
- SS-77 is the 7.62×51mm NATO caliber
- Mini-SS is chambered for 5.56×45mm NATO.
- Mini-SS Compact
References
- 1 2 Security Arms Vektor SS-77 & Mini-SS. Retrieved on May 14, 2008.
- ↑ Denel Land Systems Brochure. Retrieved on May 14, 2008.
- ↑ http://www.aerospace-index.com/images/denel/denelnewslettersept06.pdf
- ↑ Martin, Guy. "Denel Land Systems shows off capabilities". defenceweb.co.za. defenceweb. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ↑ Jones, Richard D.; Ness, Leland S., eds. (January 27, 2009). Jane's Infantry Weapons 2009/2010 (35th ed.). Coulsdon: Jane's Information Group. ISBN 978-0-7106-2869-5.
- ↑ Dan, Alex (9 February 2016). "PASKAL Malaysian Special Forces Weapons". Military Factory (Small Arms). Retrieved 10 February 2016.
- ↑ "S.A.F. – Special Action Force – Armi e Mezzi | Corpi d' élite - Forze speciali italiane, antiterrorismo, intelligence". Corpidelite.net. 2015-09-26. Retrieved 2015-10-07.
- ↑ (PDF) http://web.archive.org/web/20120302190847/http://www.dpa.ro/rp/publicatii/buletine/bc2009_1.pdf. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 2, 2012. Retrieved February 15, 2012. Missing or empty
|title=(help) - ↑ http://www.francerwandagenocide.org/documents/HRWarmingRwandaJanvier1994.pdf
- ↑ "Machine Guns". Army.mil.za. 2010-12-13. Retrieved 2015-05-18.
- ↑ "Modern Firearms - Vector SS-77 and Mini-SS". World.guns.ru. Retrieved 2015-05-18.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Vektor SS-77. |
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