GD to build more M2 machine guns.

[F-15 Eagle]

General Dynamics has won a $36.6 million U.S. Army TACOM contract to manufacture M2HB machine guns.

"General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products was recently awarded a contract by the U.S. Army Tank Automotive Command -- TACOM -- to produce M2HB machine guns, valued at up to $36.6 million through 2009. Production work will be performed at the Saco site, and deliveries are expected to begin in April 2008," General Dynamics said in a statement earlier this month.

"The guns will be used on ground vehicles by the U.S. Army, Army Reserve, Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy, as well as several foreign military customers. The program will be managed out of General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products' Burlington, Vt., facility," the company said.

"The M2HB 12.7 mm -- caliber .50 -- machine gun fires at a rate of more than 450 rounds per minute and has a maximum effective range of 2,000 yards. The machine gun's high level of lethality, reliability and versatility has made it the world standard in its class and can give war fighters a critical advantage," said Mike O'Brien, vice president and general manager of gun systems for General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products.

General Dynamics said its Armament and Technical Products unit in Charlotte, N.C. "provides a broad range of system solutions for military and commercial applications. The company designs, develops and produces high-performance armament systems; a full range of advanced composite-based products; biological and chemical detection systems; and mobile shelter systems."

General Dynamics is based in Falls Church, Va., and has a global staff of 83,500 with 2007 revenues of $27.2 billion. The company describes itself as "a market leader in business aviation; land and expeditionary combat systems, armaments and munitions; shipbuilding and marine systems; and information systems and technologies."

 

[kato]

36.6 million? that's what, 4-5000 guns?

 

[Chino]

Will probably be cheaper and better if they buy CIS 50 from us. But of course, those dollars have to stay n the US economy.

 

[DavidDCM]

It would neither be cheaper nor better to buy a new weapon system that offers no advantage over the old one, that has never been tested, that has no existing supply line and where the soldiers have no training at all. On the contrary, that would be completely stupid.

 

[F-15 Eagle]

I don't think the M2 will be replaced anytime soon. Why would they its so damn good they don't need to get rid of it? I do know its been upgraded to the M2E2 which has a 550-600 round per minute rate of fire. The original M2HB has a rate of fire of 450-550rpm.

 

[Manfred2]

Another little factoid- The Armor penetration of the round is so good that the US did not serously consider an anti-tank gun until the late 1930s.

For a gun that has been around since 1919, it has given awfuly good service. like the MG 42/MG 3, trying to improve on this weapon is about as fruitful as trying to re-invent the wheel.

Also- converting to a new HMG is probably not cost-effective, there are just too many wheels that need to be greased... not to mention palms.:

 

[Aussie Digger]

I don't think the M2 will be replaced anytime soon. Why would they its so damn good they don't need to get rid of it? I do know its been upgraded to the M2E2 which has a 550-600 round per minute rate of fire. The original M2HB has a rate of fire of 450-550rpm.

All it needs is a "quick change barrel" modification (available from FN Herstal) to eliminate the old "headspace" issue and a picatinny rail mounted on top of the receiver to add modern sighting systems to the weapon and it's a fantastic weapon that doesn't NEED replacement...

Old the design may be. But it was a brilliant design that performs the job today it needs to.

 

[Leifw]

TACOM definately plans for the M2 to stay around awhile. They have been paying someone to convert paper drawings to 3-D CAD drawings, and then validate them by producing sample parts.

This will enable easier procurement due to modern drawings and updated manufacturing processes.

 

[F-15 Eagle]

The M2 machine gun will stay in service well past its 100 year mark. Its just too good and simple to replace. Nothing comes close to the M2.
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[winnyfield]

The M2 machine gun will stay in service well past its 100 year mark. Its just too good and simple to replace. Nothing comes close to the M2.
​

The patent has also expired.

 

[old faithful]

on another note, 3RAR still had .303 vickers right up untill 1989. We used m60,s and mag58,s. but we still had the vickers, i was lucky enough to be on one of the last yippie shoots to get rid of all the old ammo. loading the canvas belts by hand, changing the beaten zone to the left with 1 tap of the ball pein hammer from the cleaning kit! BTW, It never missed a beat!