IMI Negev

Designed by the Israeli Military Industries with assistance from the Israeli Defense Forces, the Negev Light Machine gun was developed as a replacement for the existing MAG machine gun. The IDF felt that it was time to upgrade the mounted LMGs on its armored vehicles, patrol ships and helicopters in the army, navy and air forces. The need was also felt for a weapon that could be used as a SAW or one that could use a quick exchange barrel making it a compact gun. The design for the Negev was ready by 1995 and shortly afterwards; in 1996 the full field-testing by the IDF began. The Negev LMG was inducted into the IDF by 1997. It is currently the standard issue Light Machine Gun of the IDF.

The Negev LMG is a highly flexible weapon, easily adaptable to various situations and battlefield scenarios. It can be used as vehicle mounted gun, as a traditional ground based machine gun or be adapted for close combat fighting situation. What works in its favor is its comparatively lightweight. It weighs just 7.5 kgs unloaded and the weight goes up by a few kilograms depending on the kind of magazine or belt is used to feed ammunition. The Negev uses the NATO standard 5.56 x 45 mm (.223) caliber ammunition, either the US M855 or European SS109. Generally the Negev uses a standard soft assault drum which is basically a nylon bag containing belted ammunition but it is also compatible with the Galil detachable staggered row bent box magazine of any capacity. Soft assault drums of carrying capacity of 200 rounds and 150 rounds can be used with the Negev. If the need arises the Negev can be fitted with an adaptor that makes it compatible with a NATO STANTAG standard 30 round staggered bent row box magazine.

The Negev is a gas operated, air-cooled, light machine gun with an open rotating bolt that locks into the barrel. It is a highly accurate, reliable, compact and sturdy machine gun that can withstand the rigors of harsh desert conditions having been thoroughly tested by the IDF. The Negev fires from a bipod and can also be mounted on a vehicle. It has a variable rate of fire with a three-position gas regulator controlling the rate of fire from 700-850 rpm to 850-1000 rpm. In the off position the Negev can be used to launch rifle grenades.

The weapon is so flexible that it comes with a quickly changeable standard barrel (460 mm) or a short barrel (330 mm). The muzzle has 6 1:7' right had twist grooves and a velocity of 950 m/s. It has a foldable stock and if need be the stock can be completely removed. This makes it ideal for it to be used as a Squad Assault Weapon that is light and compact. This compactness does not take away any of its armor piercing capability nor its firepower and as such the gun can be used by forces on the field to lead a charge.

A variant of the Negev LMG is the Negev Commando that has all the same features as the LMG except for the shorter barrel (330 mm) and a forward handgrip in place of a bipod.