weapons of the french army

May I intrude a little here and add to Garry’s ramble about AK series weapons the idea of using the OTs-14…. A lovely little waepons system it is too.

Originally posted by Arthur
Of course it’s a joke. I thought is was quite funny really – the M16 having quite a poor reputation and such. I’m sorry the joke was lost on you, and you can be sure that the disrespect i have for the French military isn’t any worse than the disrespect i have for other armed forces 😉 .

I suspect my own sarcasm was lost on you as well… Must be something to do with the idiosyncrasies of our respective nationalities; or the distance…

I shall however sleep more soundly tonight knowing that you despise forces of other countries as much as you despite France’s!

🙂

Have a good one!

Originally posted by Snowman
Or is that yet another example of the tired old “joke” which is wearing thinner and thinner by the day?

Of course it’s a joke. I thought is was quite funny really – the M16 having quite a poor reputation and such. I’m sorry the joke was lost on you, and you can be sure that the disrespect i have for the French military isn’t any worse than the disrespect i have for other armed forces 😉 .

Originally posted by Arthur
So it’s not that the French buy American guns which won’t work for soldiers who won’t fight?

It does seem like an unbeatable combo though…

Well, it seems unbelievable that people who I thought were clever and thoughtful cannot understand or even conceive of the fact that because the French government was unwilling to send troops to the War, it doesn’t necessarily mean that French Forces did not want to want to fight. Do you not think that French SF for instances were itching to get accross and get involved?
Or is that yet another example of the tired old “joke” which is wearing thinner and thinner by the day?

:rolleyes:

French SF also use foreign weapons. The GIGN are often picture wiedling H&K MP5s to give but one obvious example. The assault rifle used througout the French Forces (including the Foreign Lezgion) is (or was until recentely in case there’s been a secret change of policy) the FAMAS, which has been upgraded in the last decade. I don’t think it’s terribly quick to clean/maintain but it seems reliable enough.

“SUSAT to the M203 and you’ve got a worldbeater.”

The designation M203 refers to the 40mm grenade launcher, not the whole weapon system… ie M16/M203 combo or as pictured the M4/M203 combo.

I’d also humbly suggest that an AK series weapon (either Russian or even an israeli or South African derivitive like a Galil or R-4 respectively) would be a much better weapon in that their stocks actually fold to reduce their length and they are just as reliable if not more so. (The M16 family of weapons have at best what the makers call a retractible stock… but as it retracts about 2-3 inches I’d call it an adjustible stock rather than a retracting one.)

(should also mention that the russian 40mm grenade launcher has many significant advantages over the western systems… muzzle loading increases rate of fire to the point where you can land two rounds simultanously on target with one launcher… it is also smaller and lighter and can be fitted and removed as quickly as a bayonnette. They also have a very effective airburst grenade that the US is spending rather enormous amounts of money to get with OICW.)

Originally posted by Arthur
American guns which won’t work

Having carried, used and maintained the M203 in the field, I can categorically state I’d much rather have one of those when the muck starts flying than a bloody SA80. It might be longer and heavier, but it’s incredibly reliable and a doddle to maintain in working order. No fiddly little cotter pins and gas parts on this baby. All we need to organise is a way of fitting the SUSAT to the M203 and you’ve got a worldbeater.

And as for SF troops actively using weapons from another country, that’s nothing new. The Hereford boys have been using ’16’s and ‘203’s for years. Doubt any of them would recognise an SA80! 😉

So it’s not that the French buy American guns which won’t work for soldiers who won’t fight?

It does seem like an unbeatable combo though…

You guys are just no fun.

Moggy, I love that picture. I needed a good laugh.

M-4

Yes, some special units of the french armed forces uses some different weapons, like the M-16A2, M-4 and derivates and SIG-550 rifles (Commando Hubert for example).

Kev and Hand,
Methinks it was the echo!

Nope , just parkinson disease !!!! 🙂

Hand,

like ‘NEW YORK, NEW YORK’ your last post was so good you just had to say it twice. Not a barry Manilow fan are you?

Only kidding;)

Regards,

kev35

Originally posted by PhantomII
They have weapons? 🙂 I wonder if they know how to use them. 🙂

(On a serious note check out a copy of Jane’s All the World’s Guide to Guns) and you will likely find out what they use in that.

I think so , since they manage to evacuate safely severals dozen of american citizen from Liberia. I guess they have very efficient swiss knifes.
It appears that US army is more concerned by Iraki oil than by his own citizen

Originally posted by PhantomII
They have weapons? 🙂 I wonder if they know how to use them. 🙂

(On a serious note check out a copy of Jane’s All the World’s Guide to Guns) and you will likely find out what they use in that.

I think so , since they manage to evacuate safely several dozen of american citizen from Liberia. I guess they have very efficient swiss knifes

Moggy

Phantom, I’m sure if you pop into a French Para regiment for a friendly chat, there will be a nice sergent who’ll be more than happy to demonstrate whether or not they have weapons and know how to use them. They might end up using your person as a target, but then there’s nothing like first-hand experience, is there?

😀

On a more serious note, and to the best of my knowledge, French Forces use the newer version of the FAMAS assault rifle. The weapon you saw shorthome might have been a captured weapon. Or it might have been used in an exercice. (I remember a picture showing what I think were a Marine and a French Foreign Legionaire trying out their counterpart’s weapon).

Best regards

Snowman

They have weapons? 🙂 I wonder if they know how to use them. 🙂

(On a serious note check out a copy of Jane’s All the World’s Guide to Guns) and you will likely find out what they use in that.