South Korean HMG for RMN

The FN Herstal 12.7mm heavy machine gun as fitted on the RMN Super Lynx. This is definitely an FN made gun as I saw the markings.

SHAH ALAM: South Korean HMG for RMN. It appears that the RMN has bought an unknown number of South Korean S&T Motiv K6 12.7 mm heavy machine guns. This is based on an advertisement for a multi modal transport operator to ship a container load of the guns from Incheon, South Korea to Malaysia, last May. The tender was awarded to Malaysian Shipping Agencies Sdn Bhd.

The FN Herstal 12.7mm heavy machine gun as fitted on the RMN Super Lynx. This is definitely an FN made gun as I saw the markings.

It is likely that the guns have already arrived here as a Google search showed that on average a cargo ship takes two weeks to sail from South Korea to Malaysia. It must be noted that the advertisement did not state the type of the HMG apart from it being a 12.7mm one so as S&T Motiv only make one type of the HMG, I am assuming it must be the K6.

S&T Motiv K6 12.7mm HMG.

The RMN uses the HMG on various ships as a point defence weapon as well as on the Super Lynx in surface warfare operations. The one of the Super Lynx is made by FN Herstal though. The K6 is basically the M2 Browning HMG also manufactured by various companies all over the world. Most the 12.7mm HMG used by the Armed Forces are those manufactured by FN Herstal of Belgium and Manroy PLC of the UK (now owned by FN Herstal).

S&T Motiv K6 HMG.

RMN is the only branch of the service which has sometimes deviated from buying from the usual suppliers. It has purchased the Vektor SS-77 machine guns from South Africa in mid-2000s though it has more FN MAG machine gun in service apparently. And now it appears that it is supplementing the FN M2 Brownings with the K6 HMG as well.

A Daewoo M60 mounted on a MIFV together with an 12.7mm HMG. The MIFV is from 14th RMR.

Anyhow this is maybe the latest weapons acquisition from South Korea in a while. In the 90s, when we bought the KIFV, they were equipped with the Daewoo M60 (Daewoo is now S&T Motiv) though I am not sure whether the HMG is also South Korean made one.

We also bought the M40 106mm recoiless rifles from Spain when we bought the KIA jeeps in the 1990s.

10th Para Brigade support company firing the M40 RR in an exercise recently.

The KIA jeeps are all retired now togeither with most of the recoiless rifles with the exception of the Support Company of 10th Para Brigade. Of course, the navy also operated two training ships, KD Gagah Samudera and KD Teguh Samudera, the design of which came from DSME of South Korea.

Army 12.7mm HMG mounted on Vamtac weapon vehicles of 10th Para Brigade. Both are likley manufactured by Manroy or FN Herstal.

— Malaysian Defence

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Shah Alam

8 Comments

  1. The 12.7mms on the Kedahs are FN. Even the pintle mounts are marked “FN”. The GPMGs on most RMN ships are also FN.
    The Manroy ones (the Adnans have them), being newer, have a polymer stock unlike the older FN ones (seen on the MIFVs) with a wooden stock.

    At some base somewhere there are stocks of M60s. These came with the first batch of KIFVs and were deployed to Bosnia, being replaced later.

  2. The RCLs apparently were Spanish. In the past we bought a large quantity of Claymores from South Korea as well as fuses and other stuff needed for the production of ammo. Of course we also have the lead OPV built in Pusan, as well as Mahawangsa.

    Reply
    Ah ok

  3. We really should have learned how to produce the 50 cal. This gun is epically timeless and unchanged much since the first versions yet the demand has not wavered. As we will need new guns for replacement/additions this is something worthwhile in the long run.

  4. “The RCLs apparently were Spanish. ”

    Yes, I’ve seen the Spanish markings on one of our RCLs.

    “In the past we bought a large quantity of Claymores from South Korea”

    So did Singapore.

  5. “in its place, weapons system acquisition programmes and the like will be purely on a needs basis of the Armed Forces’ three branches, via a careful and thorough demonstration/evaluation phase”

    From the Deputy Defence Minister and in my view the most significant and important statement made on defence since the new government came to power. Hopefully this will actually translate into reality and the armed services will get the stuff they need based on their specific requirements and circumstances; as opposed to politicians basing everything on what political imperatives (including the needs of the local industry coming first) dictate the armed services should get.

    At last we have a politician saying what should be said but ultimately it also depends on the PM and defence is the last of his priorities at the moment.

  6. Oh those Shinjeong Barracudas. We had about 6 of those, bought by the police for the East Timor deployments. Now based mostly in Sabah. Similar to the barracudas of BRIMOB that ferried malaysian football team. In the police, they are called ‘condor’, probably because it is almost similar and has the same powertrain system based on the unimog.

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