AA-52 machine gun
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The AA-52 (full designation in French: Arme Automatique Transformable Modèle 1952, "Transformable automatic weapon model 1952") is one of the first French-produced guns of the post–World War II era. It was manufactured by the French government-owned Manufacture d'armes de Saint-Étienne (MAS) company. The AA-52 is still used today as a vehicle-mounted weapon due to large quantities in service, but has been replaced in the helicopter role by the Belgian FN MAG, starting with the EC 725 Caracal of the special operations units and the Air Force search and rescue teams. The AA-52 had been largely phased out for infantry use in favour of the lighter FN Minimi but remains in use.
History
The AA-52 general-purpose machine gun was conceived and developed following the French military's experiences in the First Indochina War during the early 1950s. At that time, the French army was equipped with an assortment of weapons from British and American sources, as well as some German weapons from the Second World War.
Effective supply of ammunition and replacement parts was an almost insoluble task and the army decided to adopt a standard machine gun. The result was the AA-52, conceived for ease of production. The construction is of simple welded stamped sheet steel.
The AA-52 was partially withdrawn from the service of the French army in 2008. It was replaced in the 2010s by 10,881 FN MAG general-purpose machine guns.[1][2]
Design
The AA-52 is a peculiar weapon among modern machine guns because it uses lever-delayed blowback operation, also seen in the FAMAS rifle, manufactured at the same factory. When firing, the pressure pushing the case head rearward initiates an impulse on a cam that sends the bolt carrier rearward. After a certain distance, a link (in this case the firing pin) pulls the bolt head, hence extracting the spent case. Since there is no primary extraction, the chamber is fluted to allow powder gases to flow back, unsticking the case from the chamber wall as with Heckler & Koch–type roller-delayed blowback weapons.
The feed and trigger mechanisms are derived from the MG 42.
The AA-52 can be used as a light machine gun with a bipod or as a heavy machine gun with a tripod. When used with a tripod for continuous fire, the gun is fitted with a heavier barrel. In the light machine gun configuration, the AA-52 is a relatively light weapon to carry. The AA-52 can be fired from the shoulder, but this is slightly awkward because of the position of the handle; however, the bipod can be used as a handguard when not in use. The barrel is changed by pressing a latch and rotating it a quarter of a turn. The APX(SOM) telescopic sight used on the MAS-49 and the FR-F1 sniper rifle can be mounted on the AA-52 as well as an infrared night sight.
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A vehicle-mounted AA-52
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An AA-52 on a Véhicule Blindé Léger.
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The ANF1 variant on La Motte-Picquet.
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AA-52 machine gun on display.
Variants
NF-1
The AA-52 originally used the standard 7.5×54mm French cartridge. The general adoption of the 7.62×51mm NATO cartridge reduced the opportunity for export sales, and the gun was adapted for this standard NATO calibre. The new, adapted gun was designated AANF-1 (also ANF-1 or NF-1).[3]
MAC-58
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The MAC-58 was a version of the AA-52 chambered in .50 BMG. A few prototypes were tested and one retained for preserial production, but it never reached production due to the large quantity of US M2 Browning machine guns already in service with the French armed forces.
Users
- Template:Country data National Reorganization Process / Template:Country data Argentina[4]
- Template:Country data Belgium: Twin AA-52 machine guns were found in Fouga Magister attack aircraft.[5]
- Template:Country data People's Republic of Benin / Template:Country data Benin[6]
- Template:Flagicon Republic of Bolivia (1964–1982) / Template:Flagicon Republic of Bolivia (1982–2010) / Template:Country data Plurinational State of Bolivia [7]
- Template:Country data Upper Volta / Template:Country data Burkina Faso[6]
- Template:Flagicon Federal Republic of Cameroon / Template:Country data Cameroon[8]
- Template:Country data Central African Empire / Template:Country data Central African Republic[6]
- Template:Flagicon State of the Comoros / Template:Country data Comoros Federal Islamic Republic of the Comoros / Template:Country data Comoros[6]
- Template:Country data Côte d'Ivoire[6]
- Template:Country data Djibouti[6]
- Template:Flagicon Third Dominican Republic / Template:Country data Dominican Republic
- Template:Country data French Fourth Republic / Template:Country data France: F1 variant.[6]
- Template:Country data Gabon[6]
- Template:Country data Georgia / Template:Country data Georgia: used some ANF1 to protect Camp Warehouse, Afghanistan, under French command.[9]
- Template:Country data Indonesia: AAT-F1 variant mounted on AMX-10 PAC 90 of Korps Marinir.[10]
- Template:Country data Ireland: Twin AA-52 7.62mm machine guns were fitted to the Irish Panhard AML 60-7 CS armoured cars.[11]
- Template:Country data Ivory Coast[12]
- Template:Country data Lebanon mounted on VAB mephistoScript error: No such module "Unsubst".
- Template:Flagicon Democratic Republic of Madagascar / Template:Flagicon Third Republic of Madagascar / Template:Flagicon High Transitional Authority / Template:Country data Madagascar[6]
- Template:Country data Mali: Armed and Security Forces of Mali[6]
- Template:Country data Mauritania / Template:Country data Mauritania[6]
- Template:Country data Morocco: F1 variant.[6]
- Template:Country data Niger[6]
- Template:Country data Senegal[6]
- Template:Country data Seychelles / Template:Country data Seychelles[6]
- Template:Country data Somali Democratic Republic Template:Flagicon Interim Government of Somalia / Template:Country data Somalia[6]
- Template:Country data Togo[6]
- Template:Country data Tunisia[13]
- Template:Country data Ukraine[14]
References
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- ↑ French AANF1 machine gun in Ukrainian Defense Forces
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- ↑ AAT-F1 Korps Marinir: Senapan Mesin Handal, Sukses Lepaskan 5 Ribu Butir Munisi Tanpa Masalah
- ↑ Martin, Karl (2002). Irish Army Vehicles, transport and armour since 1922. Karl Martin. Template:ISBN.
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External links
- AAT Mod.52 / Mod. F1 at Modern Firearms
Template:Delayed Blowback Firearms Template:General Purpose Machine Guns Template:Current French infantry weapons