Month: September 2015

British Accuracy International AW sniper rifle in Syria

N.R. Jenzen-Jones Update 150828, 2035 GMT: It has been suggested that the configuration of the rifle is very similar to that seen in service with Russian SOF units, including the Badger Ordnance IMUNS. Given Russia’s increased involvement in Syria recently, this may point to the rifle’s provenance, whether employed by Russian SOF in support of Syrian

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Arms & Munitions Brief No. 2: The Russian GM-94 Grenade Launcher

Armament Research Services is proud to release the second publication in our Arms & Munitions Brief series, The Russian GM-94 Grenade Launcher.  Authored by former Russian army officer and small arms historian Maxim Popenker, with ARES Director N.R. Jenzen-Jones, Arms & Munitions Brief No. 2 gives an overview of the GM-94’s development history, technical characteristics, and employment

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A closer look at Iran’s CQ rifles

Galen Wright Iran commemorated the start of the Iran-Iraq War on September 22 with military parades across the country. This year, a private photographer affiliated with the military.ir forum provided a detailed look at one model of self-loading rifle favoured by the Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), the Norinco CQ. The CQ is a copy of the US M16A1 developed in

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Unknown submachine gun with fake markings seized in Europe

The ARES Team with ‘Improguns’ Along with the recently documented ‘R9-Arms’ pistol, another previously-unknown 9mm submachine gun (‘machine pistol’) has been seized in significant numbers from organised crime groups in various European countries, most notably Italy and the United Kingdom. These new weapons are deceptively marked ‘Intratec TEC-9’, which is inscribed to a professional standard. Given that

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US Mk 14 EBR allegedly seized by Jabhat al-Nusra in Syria

Update 150926: A release yesterday from US CENTCOM has stated that the image of the rifle was taken while in the possession of Division 30, making it unlikely that it had in fact been seized by Jabhat al-Nusra. However, CENTCOM did confirm earlier reports that claimed some US-trained and equipped fighters had surrendered materiel to Jabhat al-Nusra, including

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Correction – Chinese air rifle in Ukraine

Jonathan Ferguson ARES Research Report No. 3 – ‘Raising Red Flags‘ documents the arms and munitions employed during the ongoing Ukrainian conflict. Amongst the small arms and light weapons documented, we identified (p.40-41) a Chinese spring-powered air rifle as a ‘Norinco B3-1’. This is incorrect. The air gun in question is fitted with a distinctive side-folding shoulder stock with plastic

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Beretta unveils ARX 200 designated marksman rifle

Like many Western forces, the Italian military’s experiences in Afghanistan have been a driving force in the acquisition of additional longer-range firepower at the infantry platoon level. The Italian Army will be deploying the Beretta ARX 200 designated marksman rifle, chambered for 7.62 x 51 mm, in order to meet this capability requirement. The long-awaited rifle was

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French APILAS anti-tank weapon in Syria

N.R. Jenzen-Jones A video recorded during fighting near Maliha, Syria, in June 2015 shows a Syrian rebel fighter armed with a French APILAS (armour-piercing infantry light arm system). The APILAS is a single-shot, disposable 112 mm rocket-assisted recoilless anti-tank weapon, first issued to French forces in the mid-1980s and later in service with some 15

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Landmines and significant IED designs documented in Yemen

Kenton Fulmer Recent photos posted on social media channels  have illustrated the proliferation of an unmarked variant of the Russian TM-57 AT blast mine, as well as an escalation in the sophistication of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in the Yemeni conflict. This cache of munitions (documented here in early August) is observed to contain over 150 examples of the

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New improvised armoured fighting vehicle design in Ukraine

Boris Karpa The Ukrainian conflict has resulted in significant numbers of improvised armoured fighting vehicles (AFV) being employed by both Ukrainian security forces and pro-Russian separatist forces. Generally, improvised combat vehicles are manufactured from poor quality components, built by amateurs with no engineering training, under terrible conditions and equipped with ill-fitted weapons and armour. This particular vehicle appears different,

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