DESIGN
Israel sought a replacement for the heavy
MAG. Some Minimi’s were bought to test them
in desert conditions. The Minimi was found
to unreliable in desert conditions and the
order was given to develop an Israeli machinegun
with the same features. A new machinegun
was developed and named to a desert in Israel:
Negev (feel the irony). The Negev looks quite
the same as the Minimi, but inside it is
very different. (As far as a similar weapon
can be different....) The Negev is far more
reliable in all kinds of conditions, including
artic. Instead of firing full-automatic only,
the Negev can also fire semi-automatic. The
Negev can also use steel magazines, which
are inserted into the side, just as with
the Minimi. Not only M16 style but also of
the Galil type can be used. When fitted with
a magazine adapter the magazines are fitted
in the same manner as an assault rifle, but
it can no longer be belt-fed. The Minimi
fires at a high rate of fire when fed by
magazines. The Negev fires at its low rate
of fire when fed with magazines. Like all
new Israeli weapons the Negev was first used
by the Seyarets and Shayetets. A commando
version was immediately developed. There
is only one difference between the Negev
and Negev Commando: the barrel. The Negev
Commando has a shorter barrel to make it
less cumbersome. It is comparable with the
Minimi Para. |
| There is only one difference between the
Negev and Negev Commando: the barrel. The
Negev Commando has a shorter barrel to make
it less cumbersome. |
| The basic Negev is the most used variant.
The Negev should replace all MAG’s used by
the Israelis. Even those mounted as a coaxial
weapon! That is quite strange, because the
7.62mm MAG has a longer range and more power.
If the MAG is mounted on a vehicle, its weight
and recoil are no longer a drawback. Because
of budgetary problems only the MAG’s used
by the infantry are now replaced. |
PERFORMANCE
Like the Galil the Negev was
born in the
dessert and thus sandproof, very
reliable
and robust. The rate of fire
is a little
higher than the Minimi. The rate
of fire
can be set on ‘high’ while firing
belt-fed,
allowing more rounds on target
while exposed.
The Minimi fires at a high rate
of fire when
fed by magazines. The Negev fires
at its
low rate of fire when fed with
magazines.
That is a great advantage over
the Minimi.
Firing at a high rate of fire
with a small
amount of ammo is not advisable.
The Negev
has the same accuracy as the
Minimi. The
Negev Commando is not less accurate
than
the Negev, but has a shorter
range. The main
drawback of a shorter barrel
is not loss
of accuracy, but loss of range
and velocity.
A shorter barrel tends not to
overheat as
quickly as the longer counterpart.
USE
- Used by the Israel Defence Force (IDF).
Both versions are used by the Israeli special
forces. The Negev should replace all MAG’s
used by the Israelis. Even those mounted
as a coaxial weapon! That is quite strange,
because the 7.62mm MAG has a longer range
and more power. If the MAG is mounted on
a vehicle, its weight and recoil are no longer
a drawback. Because of budgetary problems
only the MAG’s used by the infantry are now
replaced.
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