As you may know the French National Gendarmerie Intervention Group (GIGN) has ordered a new standard issue weapon, TFB reported about it earlier.
They selected the rather unusual CZ Bren 2 in an even more unusual, for Western Special Forces at least, caliber in terms of the 7,62×39 mm. According to Wikipedia, they only ordered 68 Bren 2s, so it’s not an enormous order.
The reason why GIGN chose the CZ Bren 2 in 7,62×39 was due to a small size and the ballistic punch it offers. They considered that anything in 7,62×51 NATO, which offered the desired characteristics, was to heavy and bulky.
I’m not French, but I used to live in France, so I’m not too surprised about all these unusual and unconventional choices. Who am I to tell them they are wrong?
To my knowledge, GIGN are now the first European Special Forces unit to chose the MAWL-DA aiming and illumination laser from B.E. Meyers USA.
It looks like a Trijicon on with a red dot from the same brand on top of the Bren.
(All pictures of the MAWL-DA apart from the top are obviously mounted on another firearm than the BREN 2)
MAWL-DA stands for Modular Advanced Weapon Laser – Direct Action.
Feeling tempted but don’t want to move to France and join GIGN?
BE Meyers have released a civilian legal MAWL-C1+.