French Army adopts FN MAG with PANHARD WASP (Weapon under Armor for Self Protection)
In November last year I reported on a tip I received that the French Army was about to purchase over 10,000 FN Mag machine guns. This deal has now been made public. The French are purchasing 10,881 machine guns from FN for 100 million Euros! The contract most likely also includes spare parts and training. These will replace the aging AANF1 machine guns.
FN MAG mounted on PANHARD WASP
They are also purchasing one hundred PANHARD WASP turrets for mounting the FN MAG on their light armored vehicles. The French-made PANHARD uses the same optic system that is used by the Felin (the French future solider equivalent) program. The below video shows off the FN MAG / PANHARD combo (includes some nice slow-motion footage).
[ Many thanks to Famas for emailing me the info. ]
Yeah, 50 years of inflation does that to things. Especially when nobody buys them in lots of hundreds of thousands anymore.
Almost 9200 euros a weapon? Makes the $210 dollars a M2 the US paid fifty years ago seem like a bargain
On VABs the French use the Kongsberg Protector RWS. The WASP is for light (up to 7.62 mm) weapons only.
The Protector is what is used for the US Strykers and the basis for CROWS II, BTW.
I don’t know about the WASP, but the Protector has a cocking actuator. It follows that malfunctions that can be cleared by pulling the charging handle may also be handled from under armour.
More accurancy with less stress for the shooter. In A-Stan, french army use same system with .50 on top of VAB (armoured personnel carrier).
Looks nice.
How would a soldier go about clearing a malfunction without exposing themselves? Is there an electronic function to clear it? Also in the last photo of the system the linked rounds have already been fired, note the struck primer.
Great, soon I’ll be able to put my first person shooting game skills to use.