The Sterling submachine gun is a well renowned submachine gun of British design by George William Patchett – the head arms designer at Sterling Armaments Company in Dagenham, England, UK. The weapon is a select-fire, blowback operated submachine gun, utilising advanced primer ignition design and is chambered in the widely used 9×19mm cartridge. It is fondly remembered as a very reliable and rugged platform to this day by its users. It was initially adopted by the UK armed forces starting around 1953 replacing the earlier and more infamous STEN submachine gun and ended up being removed from active service in around 1994, replaced by the 5.56×45mm SA80 self-loading rifle. This platform of SMG has been used by a wide variety of countries across the globe and has also been manufactured by the UK, Canada, India and also Chile.
MENA
The Kalashnikovs of Saudi Forces in Yemen – Part 2
The Saudi military’s various branches utilize a wide variety of small arms, but among those deployed in and along the border with Yemen, derivatives of the Kalashnikov or AK-pattern self-loading rifle are surprisingly some of the most common. In the previous part of this article we examined the AK-pattern rifles in use with the Saudi armed forces. In this concluding part we will look at the various civilian owned AK-patterned self-loading rifles which have been seen in use with Saudi forces. As noted previously, this study draws its data and sources largely from an extensive private image collection provided to Silah Report of open-source social media photos and videos taken by soldiers of the Royal Saudi Land Forces, the Saudi National Guard, and the Saudi Border Guard and is thus able to paint a uniquely representative picture of the weapons they use. Indeed, the data provided showed that Kalashnikov derivatives make up well over half of the assault rifles in the dataset, far outpacing the presence of the Saudis’ signature G36, G3, and AUG self-loading rifles.
The Kalashnikovs of Saudi Forces in Yemen – Part 1
The Saudi military’s various branches utilize a wide variety of small arms, but among those deployed in and along the border with Yemen, derivatives of the Kalashnikov or AK-pattern self-loading rifle are surprisingly some of the most common. This article will explore the different varieties of AK-pattern rifles in use with Saudi forces and how they are used. This study draws its data and sources largely from an extensive private image collection provided to Silah Report of open-source social media photos and videos taken by soldiers of the Royal Saudi Land Forces, the Saudi National Guard, and the Saudi Border Guard and is thus able to paint a uniquely representative picture of the weapons they use. Indeed, the data provided showed that Kalashnikov derivatives make up well over half of the assault rifles in the dataset, far outpacing the presence of the Saudis’ signature G36, G3, and AUG self-loading rifles.
The American ‘Tommy Gun’ In The Pak-Afghan Region
The Thompson models 1928, 1928A1, M1 and M1A1 submachine guns, famously also nicknamed the ‘Tommy Gun’, are a heavy weight milled all-steel submachine gun design, chambered in the U.S. military’s then standard issue pistol round – the .45 ACP cartridge, and designed in the USA in the wake of World War One. They were first adopted by the U.S. military in a widely used capacity during the World War Two, eventually being supplanted by the cheaper and simpler M3 and M3A1 ‘Grease-Gun’ submachine guns. A small but significant number have also been seen in the Pak-Afghan Region.
The Baghdad (Simonov-Iraqi): Iraq’s First Mass-Produced Service Rifle?
In a video for TFBtv Miles tackles the mysterious ‘Baghdad’ 7.62×39mm chambered self-loading rifle – the Rasheed derivative of unclear origins that appears to have been produced from the late 1960s to the late 1970s. Our understanding of the ‘Baghdad Rifle’ is still evolving.
V32: Yousef Riazi and Iranian Small Arms in use by the Iranian Military
In this episode, Miles and Yousef Riazi discuss in great detail the different types, and quality of Iranian-made small arms and the history of the weapons that are issued to the infantry of the Iranian army. As well as Yousef’s experience dealing with them as a former conscript who served in the Iranian army.
Project: Qasd Al-Sabeel – Recovering Munitions In Gaza
In 2020 Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, revealed for the first time that part of the efforts it is making to develop its military capabilities to face the plans to disarm the Palestinian armed factions along with the blockade of weapons and ammunition into Gaza Strip include salvaging unexploded Israeli munitions and scouring the wrecks of a pair of World War One warships.
Underground Military Production In Gaza (Part 3)
In this article we continue our series on Palestinian underground weapons manufacturing, in the previous part we reviewed some of the hand grenades and rocket weaponry made locally by Hamas. In this article, we will examine mortars, anti-armor weapons and UAVs. Check out the previous parts of the series here and here.
Handmade Turkish FN Model 1910 Found in Drawer
The Black Sea region of Turkey has an important place in history in terms of weapons production. You can come across Black Sea brands such as TİSAŞ and GİRSAN in many places. However, this region stands out not only with its weapon factories, but also with its handmade weapons. In this article we will examine a pistol recently rediscovered in a drawer after many years forgotten.
Underground Military Production In Gaza – Part 2
In the first article of this series on Palestinian underground weapons manufacturing, we reviewed some of the weaponry made locally by Hamas including pistols, submachine guns and anti-tank rifles. In this article, we will continue to explore more of their production capabilities. Check out part one of this series here.