Another link in the H&K + SF chain.

[poaw]

SAS will go into action with new three-in-one gun

By Macer Hall

(Filed: 23/09/2001)

Sunday Telegraph


TROOPS of the Special Air Service will go to war with an arsenal of new weapons and equipment if called on to join American special forces in an assault on terrorist camps in Afghanistan, The Telegraph has learnt.

One important addition to SAS firepower is the first operational deployment of the Personal Defence Weapon (PDW), a "three-in-one" gun designed to combine the firepower of a machine gun, the medium-range capability of an assault rifle and the compact handling of a pistol. Manufactured by Heckler & Koch, the gun has a retractable butt and folding front grip so that it can be held as a rifle or a pistol.

The weapon can fire 950 rounds a minute and is capable of carrying a range of 4.6mm ammunition, including a new armour-piercing bullet that can cut through more than 20 layers of Kevlar body protection from a range of 200 yards. While the PDW's flexibility and light weight make it the choice for close and medium-range combat, the regiment continues to rely on the American M16 assault rifle for longer range firepower. This weapon is preferred to the Army's standard SA80 rifle, which has suffered mechanical faults.

A new command and control vehicle, recently delivered to the regiment, will be used for the first time during combat in Afghanistan. The High Mobility Truck (HMT) was ordered to provide support to SAS snatch squads borne by Land Rovers or other vehicles and can carry more than three tons of spares and satellite communication equipment.

Each truck has a suspension designed to allow the vehicle to sink to a low level to minimise the chance of detection by enemy radar. They have a maximum speed of 80mph and can be delivered by the twin-rotor Chinook helicopter. The truck, developed as a result of lessons learnt by the SAS during the Gulf war when Land Rover teams were unable to carry all their own spares. Five of a total order of 20 trucks are believed to have been delivered to the regiment's Hereford base.

The SAS is also thought to have been equipped with a new diesel-powered motorcycle designed for operations in rugged terrain. Developed with expertise from the US Marines, its pioneering engine was built so that only one type of fuel was needed for all battlefield vehicles and has an increased range resulting from improved fuel consumption.

One former member of the regiment, who asked not to be named, said: "While the SAS has always been proud of having the best kit, every trooper knows that it is training and guts that makes the regiment such a force."

SAS forces are likely to be inserted into the Afghan hills by Chinooks which can carry up to 30 fully armed soldiers. The aircraft were used when the SAS and Parachute Regiment rescued hostages in Sierra Leone last year. Any special forces operation will be co-ordinated from an AWACS (Airborne Warning And Control System) aircraft flying above the battle zone.

In an assault on targets in Afghanistan, the SAS would work alongside the Royal Marines' Brigade Patrol Troop, which is the only British Armed Forces unit with specialist knowledge of mountain warfare. The Marines' Brigade is already within striking distance of Afghanistan on a training exercise in Oman. Army has too few medics to go to war.

Info on the H&K PDW

 

[Uppity]

Certain UK newspapers have been reporting that the SAS are already in Afganistan - and have been there for the past 5 days.

There has also been an exchange of fire between a 4-man SAS squad and the Taliban military.

Allegedly.

 

[Mad_Dog]

i've read about the alleged exchange of fire in a couple of papers... that is cool that they are using the PDW though, i wonder how it will stand up in combat. maybe we'll get it in INF.

 

[phatcat]

INF-opinfijust.unr

 

[G-Fresh]

That PDW story has done the rounds in all the Sunday papers here, and I hope we do get it in Inf, could bring an end to all this sniper rifle + assault rifle 'backup' crap you see. As for the story about the supposed 'exchange of fire' that's been going on, those are Afghan resistance movements, this has been confirmed. Even if it was the SAS, the press wouldn't be told about it, well not this quickly anyway.

 

[ShakKen]

IMO, PDWs are fanciful crap.

For all the fuss, you´re still better off with an M4 with a full heavy barrel. Expecially with the kind of conditions one encounters in mountaneous terrain, WTF would one need a dedicated "close and medium range combat weapon" anyway? That´s what a carbine is for in the first place.

If you ask me, HK´s newer products are simply taking advantage of market trends. They´ll market any crap these days.

And if anything, HK´s PDWs will end up being used for exactly that; Personal Defence. I can´t see any tangible benefit that they´ll have over a carbine in a deployment as such. Just means you´ll have to carry another weapon, and another type of ammunition(not to mention the resupply logistics) which is really what special forces DON´T need.

Two words; dead weight.

Dead weight and shameless corporate marketing savvy.

 

[Kibbles-N-Bits]

IMO, PDWs are fanciful crap.

H&K rules... I am thinking it's just the french that suck. Lets take bets on which country will commit the most friendly-fire kills during this conflict... I vote FRANCE!

 

[DarkBls]

Originally posted by Kibbles-N-Bits[4C]


H&K rules... I am thinking it's just the french that suck. Lets take bets on which country will commit the most friendly-fire kills during this conflict... I vote FRANCE!

 

[DamienW]

My words exactly, DarkBls....

 

[jaunty]

Thats an Australian newspaper article. Its our SAS. They're stupid. They use the AUG. Or maybe it isn't Aussie, but we've got the Daily Telegraph/Sunday Telegraph here in Sydney, so who knows.

As far as I know, the PDW hasn't even been considered by Australian forces. They still use the Glock 17 as a sidearm and the AUG as a service rifle (fools ), with the Minimi in the LMG role.

You are talking about a unit that was subdued by NSW SPG police, though, so I dunno why they're getting so much hype.

 

[Cap'n Beeb]

Gah, the PDW is one ugly mofo of a gun. :spew: But, that would be a good backup for a sniper's loadout. *shrug*

Damn, the SAS has got some nice shit :tup:

 

[Uppity]

Originally posted by beerbaron
Damn, the SAS has got some nice shit :tup:

And they carry it in plastic bags - if you've watched Bravo 2 Zero

 

[MadWoffen]

Originally posted by Kibbles-N-Bits[4C]


H&K rules... I am thinking it's just the french that suck. Lets take bets on which country will commit the most friendly-fire kills during this conflict... I vote FRANCE!

Don't forget that the USA won the friendly-fire contest in the Gulf War...

And I think they will keep it this way. Our weapon manufacturer FN Herstal has disclosed yesterday that the US Army passed an order for 1000 machine guns but without giving more specifications (minimi ?).
Test of the FN2000 seems to go well too. I've seen a gun magazine last week that made a full story about it but I don't know when it will be manufactured.

 

[G-Fresh]

Jaunty read my post, it's been all over here in England, it's our SAS they're talking about. And for that, don't believe it. The PDW was designed for the Ministry of Defence for VIP protection and the like.