Brazilian Army Approves Imbel IA2 As New Standard Issue Rifle
The Imbel IA2, a 5.56mm caliber distant relative of the FAL which has been in development since 2008, has officially been standardized by the Brazilian Army. From IHS Jane’s:
The Brazilian Army approved the IA2 5.56×45 mm assault rifle, developed by state-owned Indústria de Material Bélico do Brasil (IMBEL), as the service’s new standard rifle.
The decision was approved on 27 August and officially announced on 4 September in the army’s bulletin. The rifle will now progressively replace IMBEL’s M964 FAL and M964A1 MD1 (also known as PARAFAL) 7.62×51 mm rifles.
The IA2 is a gas-operated compact weapon constructed mainly with polymers. It weighs 3.6 kg and is 850 mm long (including a 33 cm barrel) and has a conventional piston/multi-lug rotary bolt system, with semi-automatic and full-automatic modes and a 750 rounds-per-minute firing rate.
While the IA2 shares much of its architecture with the FAL, is it not a straight FAL derivative. Unlike the tilt-locking FAL, the IA2 utilizes the ubiquitous Stoner-Johnson rotary bolt common to the AR-15, AR-18, SCAR, and many other rifles. 5.56mm USGI magazine compatibility, new polymer handguards with heat shields, and an optics-ready Picatinny top cover round out the new rifle, which is accompanied by a 7.62mm variant. A somewhat exuberant video embedded below shows the IA2 in both 5.56mm and 7.62mm versions undergoing state tests:
We previously took a look at the IA2, including disassembly photos, last year.
Nathaniel is a history enthusiast and firearms hobbyist whose primary interest lies in military small arms technological developments beginning with the smokeless powder era. He can be reached via email at nathaniel.f@staff.thefirearmblog.com.
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Love that guy's tactical face missile launcher.
El nuevo rifle de IMBEL.. en realidad no es nada extraordinaria.. Solo una combinacion de principios mecanicos existentes.. Todo eso para disparar las mismas balas... Es decir ningun avance para detener al enemigo
Simple comentario
Michel
Ballistic & weapons Eng. (Liege-Belgium)