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MODERN INFANTRY SUPPORT WEAPONS:

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE NA

ITRODUCTION

1. “In the past, battle were fought and won by the

use of the sword. The qualities of swords carried by
the olden day’s warriors were therefore, important
factors in securing victories within the battle fields”.1
Although the concepts of fighting and winning battles
have completely changed over time, military power
still remains a dominant factor in would are
undergoing technological transformation in weaponry
to build modernized forces. This is because
technology has virtually taken over priority in almost
every aspect of human endeavors, include the
weapon systems employed with battle environments.

2. British Army. US Army, Chinese and Israel Armies

are some of the modern armies with sophisticated
weapon platforms, to mention bur a few. Egypt and
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South Africa could be considered as African countries

with modernized weapon. The revolutionized forces
of these countries are in good position to suspend to
emerging challenges of the 21st century’s combat
environment. In West Africa, Nigeria has the largest
army in the entire sub region. The contribution of the
Nigerian Army (NA) to global peace and security
cannot be overemphasized. This is evident in its past
and present engagements in campaigns within Africa
in particular and the world in general.

3. As the oldest branch of combat arms, the

infantry is the backbone of the NA. It is made up of
soldiers popularly known as infantry men, who are
specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to
engage the enemy face and have historically borne
the casualties of combat in was. Infantry units have
more physically demanding training than other
branches of armies, and place a greater emphasis on
discipline, fitness, physical strength and aggression.
Infantry can access and meneuvre in terrain
inaccessible to vehicles and tanks, and employ

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infantry support weapons that can provide firepower

in the absence of artillery.

4. Consequently, the infantry men require a high

degree of firepower to supposes the enemy,
maneuvre into position of relative advantage and
threaten or completely annihilate him. In the past, it
meant the use of ranged weapons like catapults,
javelins, spears, bows and which served as support
weapons to engage the enemy from a far distance
most of the support weapon inventory in NA
inventory are obsolete it is therefore, high time the
NA acquired modern infantry support weapons such
as M120 mortar, combat shotgun, Grenade machine
gun, light anti- structure missile and javelin anti-tank
weapon amongst other.

5. The purpose of this paper is to suggest modern

infantry support weapon for the NA. The paper is
written for he commandant, Nigeria Army School of
Infantry (NASI), in partial fulfillment of the
requirement for Mortar Platoon Commanders’

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Course. The paper look at modern infantry supports

and suggests a way forward for the NA.

AIM

6. The aim of this paper is to discuss modern

infantry support weapons with a view to making
recommendations for the NA,

MODERN INFANTRY SUPPORT WEAPONS

7. The M120 Mortar. The M120mm mortar was

developed by Soltam System of Israel. It is the latest
development of the M-65 mortar and has replaced
the 107-mm it is much lighter than the M30, has a
greater range and can sustain a rate of fire of four
rounds per minutes its mission is to provide heavy
weapon, high angle organic indirect fire support to
the units and commander. The M120 is used by both

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mechanized units and high infantry in certain

situations. An important feature of the M120 is the
M303 sub-caliber insert. This allows for the capability
of
firing 81mm ammunition. The M120 also has
maximum range of 7,240m, minimum range of 200m
and gate of fire of 16 rounds per minutes first
minute, 4 rounds per minutes sustained. It operated
by 5 crew members.

8. Combat Shotgun. The combat shotgun is a

semi-automatic, tubular magazine fed weapon
cambered for
the 12 gauge shot/shell carriage. The operating
system employed is the improved ARGO (Auto-
Regulating Gas operated twin (two gas
pistons/cylinders/ ports) system with a rotating bolt
head with dual locking lug. It is fitted with an E10
tech sight, for use by day on night; a fires iron sight
and has a telescopic 3-position extendable fire
positions with exception of the squatting position.

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9. The combat shotgun is use by the point man of

section at close quarters within close country and
complex terrain it allows the soldiers to apply a quick
rapid rate of fire over a large area using a vacuity of
ammunition natures.

The shotgun has the following characteristics

Range – solid shot: 130m
Buckshot: 40m
Length - 1010mm (extended butt stock)
886m (closed butt stock)

Weight-3.8kg
Magazine - 7cartaidge
Caliber - 18.4mm (12 gauges)

10. Grenade Marching Gun. The Heckler and

Koch 40mm Grenade Machine Gun (GMG) provides
unrivalled infantry suppression combining the best
characteristics of the heavy machine guns browning
or light mortars usually employed in this role.
Conventional rifle ammunition provides no

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fragmentation effect and is largely not effective

enough against advancing armoured infantry fighting
vehicles and battle tanks. On the other hand, of
mortars have the disadvantage of a relatively low
rate of fire. The GMG combines the advantages of
both of these two types of weapons delivering high
flexibility and fire firepower combined with the
fragmentation effect of mortar ammunition. The GMG
is usually on WIMIK (weapons mount installation Kit)
Land Rovers but can also be used from ground-
based tripods. It has the following characteristics.

Rate of fire – 340 rounds per minute

Range – 1.5km for point targets, 2km for
area cover
Ammunitions - 40mm high velocity and high
explosive grenades.

11. Light Anti- structures missile. The Light Anti-

Structures Missile (LASM) is an urgent Operational
Requirement (UOR) which has been fielded to fill a
capability gap until Anti- Structure Monition (ASM)

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comes into service. The single-shot weapon consists

of a free-flight unguided rocket that is housed with a
disposable telescopic launcher. The mechanical
“pop-up” sight is integral to the weapon and deploys
when the launcher is extended, in preparing it to fire.
The rocket consist of warhead, fuze and propulsion
unit. Spring- loaded fines deploy on firing to stabiles
the rocket in flight. Rocket use kinetic energy to
penetrate structures before the warhead is allowed
to detonate. The weapon has the following
characteristics.

Range – Approximately 500m

Weight – 4. 3kg
Length - 0. 775m
Firing – 0. 98m
Preparation time – 8 seconds

20. Light Machine Gun. Developed from minima light

machine Gun following experience in Irag and
Afghanistan, the light machine Gun (LMG) is a belt-
fed suppression weapon it provides the section

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commando with the capability to impose sustained

suppressive fire onto an objective out to 300m and
increases the overall fire power available to the
section commander. The LMG complement the light
support weapons across the spectrum and enhances
the effectiveness of all section weapons across the
spectrum of infantry operation. The weapon has
following characteristics.

Caliber – 5. 56mm
Weight – 7. 1kg
Length – 914 mm
Feed – 100- round integrating belt
Effective range – 800m
Cyclic rate of fire – 700 to 100, rounds per minute
muzzle velocity – 87m m/s

21. Light Support Weapon. SA80 A2 light Support

Weapon (LSW) has a heavier and longer barrel,
allowing greater muzzle velocity and accuracy than
the standard SA80. When fired from the integrated
and consistent. It

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is 95 SUSAT reliable, betel then any of its

competitions . it has the following characteristics.
Caliber – 5.56mm
Weight – 6. 58 kg (with loaded magazine optical
sight)
Length – 900mm
Muzzle – velocity – 670m/s
Feed -30 –round magazine
Effective range – 1,000m cyclic rate of fire – 610 -775
rounds per minute.

22. Javelin Anti Weapon. Javelin, the medium

range anti-tank guided weapon replacement for
Milan, is an enhanced version of the American
Weapon proven on operations in Iraq and
Afghanistan by US forces. The UK version has 2
significant enhancements – a more effective’s sight
system and a tripod (for fixing and observation).
Javelin provides a step change in dismounted anti-
armour and surveillance capability. It delivers longer
range, greater lethality, significantly more powerful
optics and a lighter load for the infantry man.

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23. Although designed primarily to destroy tanks

and light armoured vehicles, Javelin will also provide
potent, all-weather, day/night capability against fired
defences, such as bunkers and buildings. The
integrated sight allows the fires to acquire the target,
lock on, fire and ‘target.’ This means that as soon as
the missile is launched, the firer can acquire another
target on move position. Javelin’s has a maximum
range of 2500M, and on overfly top Attack mode and
direct attack mode of operation.

24. Javelin’s surveillance and target acquisition

performance is better than all other passive, ground
mounted, battle group surveillance systems. It is a
crew severed weapon operated by a firer and a
controllers/observer. The controller/observer
commands the weapon and assists with loading,,
identifying targets and battlefield damage
assessment.

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CONCLUSION

24. The side of the infantry is generally defined as

being to seek out and close with the enemy, to kill or
capture him, to seize and hold ground and to repel
attack by day or night under all conditions,
regardless of season, weather or terrain. All things
considered, these synopsize what the infantry does
and has done the throughout the ages, regardless of
nationality, changes in technology, doctrine, tactics
etc. to guarantee the infantry man’s independence
and self-sustainability in combat on a limited scale,
the need for effective infantry fire support weapons
cannot be overemphasized. This is necessary to
affirm victory and establish superman over the
enemy across the spectrum of the entire combat
zone.

25. The M.120 mortar is similar to 81mm mortar

which is conveniently in NA inventory. However, it
has the competences attribute of M29mm mortar it
has the competence to fire 81mm ammunition when

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fitted with M303 sub-calibre insert. Additionally the

combat shortage is a wonderful infantry support
weapon which provides extra fire support to a small,
compact and flexible forces such as a section. The
gun also makes the forces more lethal by ensuring
additional fire power to the section (paragraph ).

26. Grenade machine gun is an excellent infantry

support weapon which bridges the gab between
heavy machine guns otherwise known as browning
machine gun and mortars. It encompasses higher
fire, much move then that of mortar, coupled with
fragmentation effect of mortar which is absent in
machine guns against armoured plated vehicles. NA
could afford to upgrade its inventory with the GMG,
in conjunction with the light anti-structure missile (LA
SM). The LASM is an unguided disposable launder
which is capable of penetrating and destroying
enemy strange holds such as bunkers, ammo dumps
armoured plated vehicles etc. it is quick to prepare
and swift to launch.

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27. NA could take advantage of 2 light weapons

namely light machine gun (LMG) and light support
weapon (LSW). The LMG gives the section
Commander additional fire power to inflect maximum
damage on the objective at close range. Furthermore
the LSW can be fired from bipod with higher
accuracy and precision than other weapons of its
kind. Both weapons proved effective when employed
in Iraq and Afghanistan.

28. Javelin Anti-Tank Weapon is a wonderful arsenal

whose brilliant employment in combat could be
harnessed by the NA. It is an anti-armoured weapon
with surveillance capability. The weapon can be used
to acquire target, lock on, fire and acquire another
target immediately. Its target acquisition
performance and surveillance capability is often
remarkable and total destruction of tanks and other
armouned fighting vehicles as well as enemy strong
holds, fortified buildings and concretes structures.

RECOMMENDATIONS

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29. It is recommended that:

a. The NA should upgrade NA inventory with

M120mm mortar.

b. The NA should procure combat short gun

and grenade machine gun.

c. The NA should procure lighter infantry

support weapons like light Anti-structures
missile, light machine gun and light support
weapon.

d. The NA should purchase Javelin Anti-Tank

Weapon.

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