Israel Military Industries (IMI) will supply the Israel Defense Forces with all light machine guns (LMG’s) required for its ground forces, after it won a replenishment tender in which the Belgian company FN also contended. IMI has just supplied the first shipment of "Negev" light machine guns to the IDF, and is to complete the second shipment this month.
IMI Deputy General Manager and manager of the weapons plants, Arik Shor, told "Globes" that the volume of the IDF’s future procurement of "Negev" light machine guns is estimated at tens of thousands over the next few years. A single machine gun costs $5,000. The IDF has not replenished its new light machine guns for years.
"We expect the Israel Defense Forces will in the first stage acquire the "Negev" light machine gun for the ground infantry forces," said Shor. "At a later stage, the IDF will re-equip tanks and border posts with them. The replenishment rate will correspond to the budgets that will be applied to procurement".
"We still do not have a serious customer for the "Negev" light machine gun but I expect that after supplying the IDF, foreign customers will follow suit," said Shor. "Until now, only a small number of "Negev" guns had been sent abroad, to satisfy initial curiosity shown by customers, though no contracts were signed. The first question we are asked by foreign armies is whether the IDF has bought the weapons. From now on, our answer will be in the affirmative.
The "Negev" light machine gun is suitable for infantry troops and for mounting on armored personnel carriers and jeeps. It was developed and manufactured by IMI’s weapons plants in accord with the IDF’s needs.
The "Negev" uses 5.56 mm diameter rounds, which are standard in the IDF for the Galilee assault rifle and the M-16.