Vektor SS-77

The Vektor SS-77 is a general-purpose machine gun designed and manufactured by Denel Land Systems—formerly Lyttleton Engineering Works (LIW)—of South Africa.

SS-77
TypeGeneral Purpose Machine Gun
Place of originSouth Africa
Service history
Used bySee Users
WarsSouth African Border War
Rwandan Civil War
Kivu conflict
Production history
Designed1977
ManufacturerDenel Land Systems
VariantsVariants
Specifications
Mass9.6 kg (21 lb 3 oz) (SS-77)
8.26 kg (18 lb 3 oz) (Mini SS)
Length1155 mm (SS-77)
1000 mm (Mini-SS)
Barrel length550 mm (SS-77)
500 mm (Mini-SS)
Cartridge7.62×51mm NATO (SS-77)
5.56×45mm NATO (Mini-SS)
ActionGas-operated, open bolt
Rate of fire600–900 rounds/min
Feed systemDisintegrating R1M1 link belt
alternatively disintegrating M13 belt or non-disintegrating DM1 belt (SS-77)
Disintegrating M27 belt (Mini-SS)

History

In the late 1970s, South Africa was involved in an international controversy over apartheid and the South African Border War in Angola. As a result, it was subject to an international arms embargo and had to, out of necessity, design and manufacture its own weapons.[1] The SS-77 was developed to replace the FN MAG. It was designed in 1977 by Richard Joseph Smith and Lazlo Soregi, hence the name "SS-77". "SS" for Smith and Soregi, "77" for 1977, the year it was designed.[1]

Denel unveiled at the Africa Aerospace and Defence (AAD) 2016 exhibit that they'll be replaced in production by the DMG-5 and DMG-5 CX GPMG.[2]

SS-77s typically feed ammunition using an R1M1 disintegrating link belt, though M13 disintegrating link belts and non-disintegrating DM1 belts are also compatible. The belt may also be further contained in a dust-proof nylon pouch with a 100-round capacity, or a waterproof and rigid box with a 200-round capacity.

Mini-SS

In the early 1990s, a light machine gun version, the Mini-SS, chambered in 5.56×45mm NATO was introduced. LIW also manufactured kits to convert existing SS-77 to the Mini-SS. Changes include the weight decrease from 9.6 to 8.26 kg (21 lb 3 oz to 18 lb 3 oz) with a folding bipod and fixed butt.[3]

Users
Soldiers of the United Nations Force Intervention Brigade with a SS-77 during operations against the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, North Kivu, 2017.

Variants

References
  1. Security Arms Vektor SS-77 & Mini-SS. Retrieved on 14 May 2008.
  2. Martin, Guy. "Denel Land Systems Small Arms production at full capacity | defenceWeb". www.defenceweb.co.za. Retrieved 1 September 2017.
  3. Denel Land Systems Brochure. Archived 13 October 2008 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on 14 May 2008.
  4. http://www.aerospace-index.com/images/denel/denelnewslettersept06.pdf
  5. Small Arms Survey (2015). "Waning Cohesion: The Rise and Fall of the FDLR–FOCA" (PDF). Small Arms Survey 2015: weapons and the world (PDF). Cambridge University Press. p. 201.
  6. Martin, Guy. "Denel Land Systems shows off capabilities". defenceweb.co.za. defenceweb. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
  7. Jones, Richard D.; Ness, Leland S., eds. (27 January 2009). Jane's Infantry Weapons 2009/2010 (35th ed.). Coulsdon: Jane's Information Group. ISBN 978-0-7106-2869-5.
  8. Dan, Alex (9 February 2016). "PASKAL Malaysian Special Forces Weapons". Military Factory (Small Arms). Retrieved 10 February 2016.
  9. "S.A.F. – Special Action Force – Armi e Mezzi | Corpi d' élite – Forze speciali italiane, antiterrorismo, intelligence". Corpidelite.net. 26 September 2015. Retrieved 7 October 2015.
  10. "Buletinul Contractelor de Achizitii Publice" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 March 2012. Retrieved 15 February 2012.
  11. "Arming Rwanda: The Arms Trade and Human Rights, Abuses in the Rwandan War" (PDF). Human Rights Watch Arms Project. Vol. 6 no. 1. January 1994. pp. 16, 21.
  12. Grey Tiger (2014). "World Infantry Weapons: Saudi Arabia". sites.google.com. Archived from the original on 12 March 2016.
  13. "Machine Guns". Army.mil.za. 13 December 2010. Retrieved 18 May 2015.
  14. "Modern Firearms – Vector SS-77 and Mini-SS". World.guns.ru. Retrieved 18 May 2015.
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