CIS 50MG

Infobox Weapon
name=CIS 50MG


caption=The CIS 50MG on display during Singapore Army open house 2007.
origin=SGP
type=Heavy machine gun
is_ranged=yes
service=1991-present
used_by=See "Users"
wars=
designer=Chartered Industries of Singaporecite web |publisher= ST Engineering |title= 50MG Product Brochure |url= http://www.stengg.com/upload/1875jm6dmc40oAKikM8.pdf |accessdate= 2008-09-11 ]
design_date=Mid-1980's
manufacturer=ST Kinetics
production_date=1988-present
number=
variants=
weight=kg to lb|30|sp=us|abbr=on|precision=2|wiki=yes (complete gun assembly w/o feed chute and tripod adaptor)
length=mm to in|1670|abbr=on|precision=1|wiki=yes with stock
part_length=convert|1141|mm|abbr=on|1
width=convert|190|mm|abbr=on|1
cartridge=.50 BMG
caliber=12.7 × 99 mm NATO
action=Gas-operated, rotating bolt
rate=400-600 rounds/min
velocity=convert|884|m/s|0|lk=on|sp=us|abbr=on
range=
max_range=
feed=Single sprocket Belt-fed with dual-feed chutes
sights=Folding leaf sight

The CIS 50MG is a gas operated, air cooled, belt-fed heavy machine gun developed and manufactured by Chartered Industries of Singapore (CIS) in the late 1980's, in response to a request by the Ministry of Defence (Singapore) to replace the venerable 12.7mm Browning M2HB machine guns then in service with the Singapore Armed Forces.

The aim was to have a brand new heavy machine gun design, that fires the same type of .50 cal rounds as the M2HB machine guns and to have the gun parts more readily available in view of easing SAF's chain of logistics and supplies.

Design

The CIS engineers learnt from the lesson of the unsuccessful American "Dover Devil GPHMG" programme, to create a modular weapon suited for modern tactical doctrines and production techniques.cite web |publisher= Modern Guns |title= CIS 50MG heavy machine gun (Singapore) |url= http://world.guns.ru/machine/mg05-e.htm |accessdate= 2008-09-11 ] In 1988, CIS introduced the new 12.7mm machine gun which was aptly named as the CIS 50MG, after two years of development and testing phase.

As the CIS 50MG is a gas operated, air cooled, belt-fed weapon, the gun is operated using dual gas pistons, located in two gas tubes placed on either side of the barrel. The barrel is locked by means of a rotary bolt with multiple radial lugs that engages the barrel extension, eliminating the need for headspace adjustments. The CIS 50MG utilizes the same "constant recoil" system used in the Ultimax 100 and it also has a quick-detachable barrel equipped with a carrying handle to facilitate the ease of barrel changing under combat situations or during operational manoeuvres.

Features

The one unique feature of the CIS 50MG is its dual belt-feed system, the system allows for fast and easy switching of ammunition from standard ball rounds to the Raufoss Mk211 Armor-Piercing-Incendiary rounds or the Saboted Light Armour Penetrators (SLAP), which are capable of penetrating a 25 mm thick RHA Plate at a distance of 1 km.

Such systems are more commonly used in modern automatic cannons such as the M242 Bushmaster 25mm cannon, which is also in use by the SAF's Bionix AFVs.

Deployment

Since 1988, the SAF has been using the CIS 50MG in its infantry regiments as well as a mounted weapon on several armoured vehicle types and several classes of naval craft in the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN).

Users

*flagicon|Singapore Singapore Armed Forces

References

External links

* [http://www.stengg.com/CoyCapPro/detail.aspx?pdid=135 CIS 50MG official site]
* [http://www.stengg.com/upload/1875jm6dmc40oAKikM8.pdf CIS 50MG Fact-sheet]
* [http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/9932/cis50.html Additional data of CIS 50MG]