Il P.1HH HammerHead è un aeromobile a pilotaggio remoto (APR) progettato e prodotto dall'italiana Piaggio Aerospace. Il velivolo è stato progettato per svolgere varie missioni di sorveglianza, ricognizione e attacco.
Storia del progetto
Il P.1HH è un velivolo a pilotaggio remoto sviluppato partendo dalla fusoliera del Piaggio P180 e le sue caratteristiche fanno sì che l'apparecchio rientri nella categoria MALE (medium altitude, long endurance - media quota, lunga autonomia). Infatti si tratta di un velivolo capace di raggiungere la quota di 13.700 metri con una permanenza in volo di oltre 16 ore. Così come il P.180, il P.1HH è caratterizzato dalla configurazione propulsiva con eliche spingenti che conferiscono al velivolo un'impronta sonora particolarmente acuta. Inoltre il P.1HH, grazie a questa "discendenza", riesce a raggiungere velocità particolarmente elevate. La piattaforma del P.180 Avanti II è stata riprogettata con una nuova configurazione aerodinamica, una superiore capacità di carico e maggiore estensione alare. La sezione esterna delle ali è rimovibile per consentire la trasportabilità del velivolo, rendendone così possibile l'impiego in qualunque scenario.
La missione è gestita da una stazione di terra collegata attraverso sistemi di controllo, tra cui sistemi satellitari, che consentono il controllo remoto dei sistemi di navigazione e di missione.
La Piaggio Aerospace costruirà l'aereo in partnership con Selex ES. La società di Finmeccanica fornirà i sistemi di controllo del volo e navigazione a pilotaggio remoto e di missione skyISTAR nel quale sono integrati il radar SeaSpray 7300E R, l'interfaccia di comunicazione e data link. È in fase di sviluppo il P.2HH come derivato dal P.1HH, con maggiore apertura alare e permanenza in volo.
Impiego operativo
Il velivolo è pensato per svolgere missioni di pattugliamento, missioni ISR (Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance), e per rispondere alle diverse minacce che spaziano dagli attacchi terroristici all'immigrazione illegale, alla protezione delle zone economiche esclusive e siti critici. Le apparecchiature montate sull'apparecchio lo rendono idoneo per la sorveglianza dei confini ed di ampi spazi, ma anche per l'individuazione di specifici obiettivi, per il monitoraggio di zone disastrate e il monitoraggio ambientale.
Il primo mockup del P.1HH è stato presentato al pubblico in occasione dell'esposizione Idex di Abu Dhabi del 2013. Nello stesso anno è stato esposto al pubblico anche durante il Paris Air Show.
Il 14 novembre del 2013 presso la "base dell'Aeronautica militare Livio Bassi" di Trapani, il drone ha compiuto una prova di 12 minuti al largo delle coste siciliane, in cui sono state testate tutte le apparecchiature.
Nel 2015 l'Aeronautica Militare ha acquistato 3 sistemi P.1HH, con l'opzione per altri 3 apparecchi per il 2016. Con quest'acquisizione la forza armata italiana diverrà il cliente di lancio dell'UAV.
Nel 2016 l'Aeronautica Militare degli Emirati Arabi Uniti ha annunciato l'acquisto di 8 sistemi P.1HH.
Incidenti
Il 19 marzo 2015 durante delle prove di rullaggio presso l'aeroporto di Trapani il Piaggio P.1HH è uscito fuori pista riportando lievi danni. La pista dell'aeroporto è stata riaperta 4 ore dopo l'incidente.
Il 31 maggio 2016 l'unico prototipo operativo regolarmente certificato decollato dell'Aeroporto di Trapani precipita in mare 5 miglia a nord dell'isola di Levanzo.
Utilizzatori:
Italia - Aeronautica Militare - Contratto iniziale per 2 apparecchi e i relativi sistemi di supporto, opzione per l'acquisizione di ulteriori 3 velivoli.
La Commissione al Bilancio alla Camera ha dato di recente parere favorevole all’acquisto del velivolo a pilotaggio remoto P.1HH di Piaggio Aerospace, una commessa da 160 milioni di euro, vitale per il gruppo Piaggio Aerospace.
Il contratto prevede la fornitura all’A.M.I. di un sistema aereo a pilotaggio remoto (Unmanned Aerial System – UAS) composto da due velivoli (UAV), da una Ground Control Station e dai sistemi integrati di navigazione e missione.
La commessa da 260 milioni prevede anche il retrofit di 19 aerei P180 e l’acquisto di nove nuovi P180 per le FF.AA. Il P.1HH “HammerHead” è un UAV “MALE” progettato per volare missioni Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance, in grado di operare per la sorveglianza di aree operative o colpite da calamità, zone economiche esclusive, infrastrutture e siti critici. Il velivolo esegue decolli ed atterraggi automatici e puó raggiungere la quota di 13.700 metri con una permanenza in volo di 16 ore. La missione è gestita da una stazione di terra collegata al velivolo attraverso un sistema di comunicazione via satellite che consente il controllo remoto dei sistemi di navigazione e di missione. Il sistema di controllo, di gestione dei dati di missione e di gestione del segmento di terra sono basati sull’innovativo SkyISTAR di Leonardo che è essenzialmente un sistema sensoristico integrato di gestione della missione ISR. E’ composto da elementi avionici e terrestri per i requisiti di missione radar, sistemi di protezione, sistemi a radio frequenza, sistemi elettro-ottici, laser, COMINT Communications Intelligence, ELINT ELectronic signals INTelligence e da una console per l’operatore. Il sistema SmyISTAR analizza i dati della piattaforma e trasmette via data link le informazioni alla stazione di terra o alla rete di controllo.
ENGLISH
THE P.1HH HAMMERHEAD UAS
The Piaggio Aerospace P.1HH HammerHead is a new, state-of-the-art Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) designed for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions whose combination of performance and operational characteristics is at the very top end of the UAS MALE category.
An unmatched combination of range, wide operative speeds, fast climb gradient, high operative ceiling and variety of payloads, provides end-users with a powerful yet flexible Defense System that outperforms other MALE Systems, identifying the P.1HH HammerHead as a Super MALE UAS.
P.1HH HammerHead, is suited for a wide range of ISR, Defense and Security missions, and defines an unsurpassed mission role flexibility and sets a new frontier of CONcept of OPerationS (CONOPS) for Defense. The P.1HH HammerHead Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) is derived from the successful Piaggio Aerospace P.180 Avanti II business aviation aircraft, the fastest twin turboprop aircraft in the world with a proven, uneventful, service record of more than 20 years and 800.000 flight hours.
The design of the P.1HH HammerHead aims at being a unique ISR platform, able to climb up to 45.000 feet, loitering quietly at low speed (135 KTAS) for an endurance of up to 16 flight hours and dashing at very high speed (up to 395 KTAS) to target. Its capabilities include being able to host several payload combinations and to perform multiple missions: aerial, land, coastal, maritime and offshore security, COMINT/ELINT, electronic warfare as well as other roles.
Based on the P.180 Avanti II proven architecture and technologies (tested and certified for passenger transportation) and, on the outstanding experience and capability of Selex ES in the mission management systems for manned/ unmanned ISR, P.1HH HammerHead is designed to be an all weather aircraft with twin turboprop propulsion providing maximum safety, operational reliability and the lowest incident rate in its category.
The P.1HH HammerHead design is fully compliant with STANAG USAR 4671 standards to fly in both restricted and unrestricted flight areas, according to the relevant authorities permission.
P1.HH HAMMERHEAD - THE UAV PLATFORM
The P.1HH HammerHead UAV platform has an aerodynamic configuration largely similar to P.180 Avanti II.
This is very versatile thanks to its unique patented 3 lifting surfaces configuration (3 LSC) and high aspect ratio laminar wings, adapted for the P.1HH design by moderately increasing the wing span to sustain larger vehicle masses and allocating a quick detachable joint to the outer wings for rapid aerial deployment of the UAS in remote areas. Being based on a certified Mach 0.70 aircraft, P.1HH HammerHead is the fastest MALE.
The P.1HH HammerHead power plant has two, highly reliable Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-66B turbine engines integrated with low noise 5 blade scimitar propellers. The Power Plant is controlled by two Engine Interface Units that receive commands from the FCC to drive the turbine and the propeller governors while managing engine and propeller data. A large upper fuselage tank, supported by a robust yet efficient carry through beam, is integrated to provide the required fuel quantity for long range and endurance.
A smart fuel system is designed to control and minimize the movement of the aircraft center of gravity for maximum operational flexibility in a wide range of mission payloads. The triple redundant 28VDC electrical generation and distribution system supplies energy for all aircraft functions with adequate operational reserve through the envelope, and fully satisfies large power demands from a variety of power consuming payloads. P.1HH HammerHead inherits proven Piaggio Aerospace P.180 aircraft general systems, e.g.: Anti Ice, with hot air on main wing, electrical on forward wing and pneumatic boots on the engine nacelle inlet. It also has a hydraulic dual pressure system for landing gear extensions/retraction and brake activation, plus other ancillary systems like fire extinguishing for the engine nacelle area. These subsystems are all commanded by the VCMS, via fail-safe Remote Interface Units.
P.1HH HAMMERHEAD - PAYLOAD ARRANGEMENT
The large but, low drag P.180 aircraft fuselage provides capability for aerodynamically effective payload arrangements, with plenty of available volume from the variety of LRU’s equipment, sensors and communication equipment comfortably located inside the fuselage.
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P.1HH HAMMERHEAD VCMS - THE UAV BRAIN
P.1HH HammerHead features a technologically advanced Vehicle Control & Management System (VCMS) that when combined with the advanced Mission Management System (MMS) manages the UAV and its mission specific equipment.
The VCMS, commanded from the Ground Control Station (GCS) via an airborne datalink system, conducts the vehicle commanding aerodynamic control surfaces and manages on-board equipment with a triple redundant Flight Control Computer (FCC) system and multiple remote multi-lane Servo Interface Units (SIU), developed to achieve the required level of safety and mission reliability.
Position, attitude and air data are guaranteed by triple redundant Inertial Sensors (INS) and Air Data Probes (ADS), mounted in the VCMS. P.1HH HammerHead VCMS features an Automatic Take-Off and Landing (ATOL) system served with dual redundant external sensors for required reliability and safety.
All VCMS LRU’s are installed inside the large volume fuselage, in a very protected optimized operative environment, in a specific lay-out that provides zonal separation and temperature analysis to achieve a state of the art operative temperature range, highest VCMS reliability and finally, P.1HH HammerHead safety. Very easy access is provided through the large entry door and a multitude of access doors for the best maintainability within the segment.
P.1HH HAMMERHEAD - GROUND CONTROL STATION & DATALINK SYSTEM
An advanced Ground Control Station (GCS) is the P.1HH HammerHead UAS’s command & control center. The GCS is located in an autonomous shelter that hosts crew, equipment and consoles necessary to manage three UAVs (two operational, one in transfer mode) and their related Payloads.
The Crew processes functions necessary to execute tactical unmanned missions and stand-off surveillance unmanned missions, remotely commanding and controlling through VCMS and MMS the on-board surveillance system with an advanced human/machine interface integrating display and control system. The GCS is provided with multip le Ground Data Terminals (GDT) that when coupled with the associated Air Data Terminals (ADT) on the vehicles provide Line Of Sight (LOS) and Beyond Line Of Sight (BLOS) Link for Vehicle and Payload Control.
The Links System allows LOS & BLOS air vehicle command & control and payload digital encrypted data transmission via redundant, multi-frequency, high bandwidth RF links and via Ku/Ka Band SATCOM.
Mission data is eventually relayed to the headquarters either via ground communication systems or eventually with the same LOS/BLOS data link.
VCMS / GCS is developed and supplied by Selex ES thanks to their long experience in Avionics for many different platforms and Unmanned Aerial System
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P1HH HAMMERHEAD - MISSION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
The P.1HH HammerHead UAS Mission Management System is based on Selex ES skyISTAR® innovative technology, which redefines the concept of patrolling and ISR missions, to encompass threats that range from terrorist attacks to illegal immigration, as well as protection of Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ), infrastructures and critical sites.
The on board airborne Mission Management System (MMS) manages sensors, video and data, communications, and ISR functions and it is capable of recording video and mission data.
The MMS is modular and reconfigurable with effective and fully integrated open system architecture possessing significant growth capability.
Sensor fusion technology, data management and exploitation features of skyISTAR® enable highly effective border control, wide area surveillance, targeted surveillance environmental and disaster control missions.
L'MG 34 (abbreviazione del tedesco Maschinengewehr 34) è una mitragliatrice ad uso generalizzato tedesca della seconda guerra mondiale.
Storia
Quest'arma fu realizzata dalla Mauser in base a specifiche del Waffenamt; essa fu la prima moderna mitragliatrice multiruolo prodotta in massa. Diretta progenitrice fu la MG 30, sviluppata alla fine degli anni '20 dalla Rheinmetall e che incorporava molte caratteristiche d'avanguardia: raffreddamento ad aria, canna rapidamente intercambiabile, alimentazione sia a caricatore che a nastro, fuoco selettivo e peso molto contenuto. La MG 30 venne rifiutata dalla Reichswehr (come si chiamavano allora le forze armate tedesche) perché giudicata inadatta alle severe condizioni operative, anche se poi le sue versioni modificate MG 15 e MG 17 vennero adottate dalla Luftwaffe: ma le caratteristiche generali destarono attenzione. Pochi anni dopo, l'ascesa al potere del partito nazional-socialista coincise con un vasto programma di riarmo e la celebre ditta Mauser Werke di Oberndorf am Neckar incaricò il suo progettista Heinrich Vollmer di riprendere i progetti precedenti per disegnare una nuova mitragliatrice bivalente, capace di fungere sia da arma d'assalto di squadra che da arma pesante d'accompagnamento di reparto. Il progetto fu accettato dopo una serie di test positivamente superati, e nel 1934 l'arma fu ufficialmente adottata come MG 34, dove MG sta per Maschinen-Gewehr ("fucile mitragliatore").
Caratteristiche
Nel progetto dell'MG 34 si trovano molte ottime caratteristiche di armi precedenti ed al tempo stesso alcune particolarità del tutto originali; tra queste, un sistema di sostituzione della canna particolarmente funzionale; una scomponibilità per la normale manutenzione rapida ed agevole dovuta principalmente agli innesti a baionetta con i quali sono unite la maggior parte delle componenti; un calcio in materiale sintetico ad alta resistenza; un supporto della canna che incorpora efficacemente il cono rompi fiamma e l'acceleratore di rinculo. L'arma è prodotta con ottime lavorazioni e materiali di alta qualità, con lunghi processi alla macchina utensile che causavano un costo unitario di ben 375 Reichsmark. Particolarmente innovativo era il concetto di mitragliatrice bivalente, in grado di fungere sia da arma d'assalto che di accompagnamento: per questo la MG 34 contava su di un efficace raffreddamento ad aria mediante un manicotto traforato che avvolgeva la canna disperdendo il calore causato dallo sparo, e la canna stessa è rapidamente sostituibile per consentire un fuoco prolungato. Un affusto a treppiede (Lafette 34) venne appositamente realizzato, molto robusto e ben progettato, munito anche di un congegno ottico telescopico per il fuoco a lunga distanza: montata sull'affusto la MG 34 poteva effettuare fuoco d'interdizione fino a 1800 metri, e la gittata teorica massima era di ben 3500 metri.
Per tutta la durata della guerra la MG 34 fu la mitragliatrice bivalente standard della Wehrmacht e delle altre forze armate germaniche; e fino al 1945 restò la più diffusa, nonostante dal 1943 fosse stata sostituita nella produzione dalla più semplice ed economica MG 42. Venne ampiamente fornita anche agli alleati del Terzo Reich ed a formazioni paramilitari; i militari tedeschi apprezzarono molto il peso ridotto, la compattezza e l'alto volume di fuoco dell'arma, mentre lamentarono spesso le tolleranze molto ridotte che obbligavano i suoi utilizzatori a un'accurata manutenzione. Tuttavia, le ottime caratteristiche generali e l'alto livello di addestramento dei suoi utilizzatori (come tutte le mitragliatrici, solo del personale specializzato può sfruttarne a fondo le peculiarità) assicurarono alla MG 34 un'elevata reputazione di efficienza e maneggevolezza.
Nella Wehrmacht la MG 34 era distribuita in ragione di 4 per plotone (una per squadra) mentre ogni compagnia fucilieri o granatieri aveva almeno 4 MG 34 in configurazione mitragliatrice pesante, su affusto. In più, le MG 34 erano estesamente montate su veicoli, sidecar, semicingolati e ovviamente sui carri armati.
Nell'immediato dopoguerra parecchie MG 34 sono state impiegate in Cecoslovacchia, in Francia ed in Israele, e nella Guerra d'Algeria; inoltre venne ampiamente venduta alle nazioni arabe durante le guerre arabo-israeliane. Alcune MG 34 sono state catturate ai Vietcong nel Vietnam del Sud. Negli anni '50 e '60 la MG 34 apparve spesso in conflitti locali e guerre civili in Africa e Sud America.
Durante la seconda guerra mondiale la Savage Arms Corporation studiò l'MG 34 per conto dell'U.S. Army, ma giunse alla conclusione che per produrre un'arma del genere era necessario creare un'attrezzatura eccessivamente complessa, ragion per cui ogni progetto in merito fu abbandonato.
L'MG 34 creò talvolta dei problemi e gli stessi tedeschi dovettero ammettere che la sua messa a punto iniziale fu quanto mai difficoltosa; il problema sostanziale di quest'arma era dato dalla scarsa tolleranza dei vari pezzi componenti il meccanismo che risultava così estremamente lungo e costoso da fabbricare e soggetto ad inconvenienti funzionali, soprattutto in situazioni ambientali avverse. Insomma, l'arma era troppo complicata e costosa da produrre, e fin dal 1940 i Tedeschi cominciarono a studiare un sostituto più semplice, economico ed efficiente, giungendo poi a sviluppare la celebre MG 42.
Specifiche tecniche
Dal punto di vista meccanico, la MG 34 funziona mediante lo sfruttamento diretto del rinculo, con un otturatore rotante. Dopo aver inserito un nastro di proiettili sul vassoio di alimentazione, il tiratore arma l'otturatore mediante la leva di armamento; quindi, premendo il grilletto, l'otturatore scatta in avanti spinto dalla molla di riarmo, sfila una cartuccia dal nastro, la inserisce in camera di scoppio e, poiché l'otturatore ha una testa rotante con tenoni di chiusura, si blocca nella culatta realizzando una chiusura solida e sicura. Immediatamente dopo il percussore, spinto dal corpo dell'otturatore che, a differenza della testa, è ancora in movimento, raggiunge l'innesco della cartuccia e provoca lo sparo. A questo punto, dopo che il proiettile ha lasciato la canna, il rinculo dello sparo fa sì che la canna e l'otturatore, saldamente vincolati, rinculano assieme all'indietro per un breve tratto: il rafforzatore di rinculo posto immediatamente prima dello spegnifiamma di volata aumenta questo effetto, grazie ai gas di sparo che sfuggendo attraverso dei fori opportunamente sagomati, spingono la canna all'indietro. Poi, sotto il moto impresso da un'apposita camma, la testa dell'otturatore ruota e si svincola dalla culatta della canna, che cessa a quel punto di rinculare: l'otturatore invece prosegue la sua corsa all'indietro sfilando dalla camera il bossolo sparato, espellendolo verso il basso (sotto l'arma) e comprimendo la molla di riarmo: se il tiratore tiene premuto il grilletto, a un certo punto l'otturatore viene risospinto in avanti dalla molla e il ciclo si ripete. Se invece il grilletto viene rilasciato, la leva di scatto intercetta l'otturatore e lo blocca, e il ciclo si interrompe. Il tutto funzionava molto bene ma richiedeva un bel numero di parti in movimento, accoppiamenti precisi e lunghe e costose lavorazioni alla macchina utensile, con ridotte tolleranze.
Un difetto dell'arma era il meccanismo di trascinamento del nastro abbastanza debole. Se il nastro di cartucce presentava qualche deformazione, evento tutt'altro che raro, la MG 34 si inceppava di frequente: un apposito attrezzo era distribuito ai mitraglieri per estrarre le cartucce incastrate nell'arma, e i manuali di addestramento erano maniacali nel raccomandare ai soldati di conservare i nastri nelle cassette metalliche fino al momento dell'utilizzo.
Il congegno di scatto dell'MG 34 è simile a quello dell'MG 13 con un grilletto a due posizioni: premendo il grilletto nella porzione superiore si ottiene il tiro a colpo singolo, mentre premendolo in basso si ottiene il colpo a raffica.
Il ciclo di sparo ad otturatore aperto favorisce il raffreddamento della canna, che può essere sostituita rapidamente (in media ogni 400-500 colpi) per evitare che si surriscaldi, in modo da proseguire il fuoco per lunghi periodi ( a patto di avere abbastanza canne di ricambio): una leva di sblocco apre una cerniera che unisce il castello al manicotto, il manicotto ruota verso sinistra e abbassando il calcio dell'arma la canna è libera di sfilarsi dal manicotto e di essere sostituita. Mediamente una squadra mitraglieri di 3 uomini portava sempre con sé almeno 2 canne di ricambio, in apposite custodie di lamiera tubolare, che sostituite a intervalli regolari permettevano di sparare quasi ininterrottamente.
Quanto agli organi di mira, erano anch'essi di concezione avanzata: mirino anteriore a V e alzo a ritto e cursore entrambi abbattibili per evitare di impigliarsi durante il trasporto. Un apposito mirino contraereo a reticolo era inserito nel kit in dotazione ai mitraglieri, e venne anche prodotto un affusto contraerei estensibile a treppiedi.
La linea dell'arma è snella e compatta, la lunghezza moderata (122 cm) e il peso ridotto (12 kg). Queste caratteristiche e la presenza di un calcio e di un'impugnatura a pistola la rendono una via di mezzo tra un fucile mitragliatore e una mitragliatrice pesante. La cartuccia era la 7,92 × 57 mm Mauser, quella del fucile di ordinanza calibro 7,92 mm, e l'arma aveva caratteristiche balistiche straordinarie: aveva un alzo graduato fino a 2 000 m, ma il fuoco poteva essere effettuato oltre i 3000 m grazie all'affusto Lafette 34 munito di un alzo a cannocchiale. Speciali munizioni marcate sS, molto potenti, vennero prodotte appositamente per le mitragliatrici, con una carica di lancio maggiorata per aumentare gittata e cadenza di tiro.
L'alimentazione avveniva tramite cassetta da 200 colpi, o con caricatori circolari (Trommelmagazin) da 50, studiati per gli assalti, o con caricatori a doppio serbatoio (a "sella"). Quest'ultimo si inseriva a cavallo dell'arma, comprendeva due contenitori da riempire con 75 colpi ma necessitava di un apposito coperchio e veniva usato perlopiù sugli aerei.
Per il fuoco prolungato erano disponibili le normali cassette in lamiera con nastri da 200 colpi divisi in quattro settori da 50 colpi l'uno.
Varianti
Nel corso del conflitto furono realizzate diverse varianti dell'MG 34 originale:
L'MG 34 usata sui veicoli corazzati ha il manicotto della canna più robusto.
MG 34S - MG 34/41: sono sensibilmente più corte, hanno un meccanismo di scatto modificato che consente solo il tiro a raffica, il loro ammortizzatore di rinculo è di maggiori dimensioni ed hanno la faccia della canna in corrispondenza alla bocca di maggior diametro per incrementare l'azione dell'acceleratore di rinculo; in queste armi è stato eliminato il dado di bloccaggio del percussore posto nella parte posteriore dell'otturatore e vi sono modifiche di dettaglio al meccanismo di alimentazione.
ENGLISH
The Maschinengewehr 34, or MG 34, is a German recoil-operated air-cooled machine gun, first tested in 1929, introduced in 1934, and issued to units in 1936. It introduced an entirely new concept in automatic firepower – the Einheitsmaschinengewehr (Universal machine gun) – and is generally considered the world's first general-purpose machine gun (GPMG).
The versatile MG 34 was chambered for the full-power 7.92×57mm Mauser rifle cartridge, and was arguably the most advanced machine gun in the world at the time of its deployment. The MG 34 was envisaged and well developed to provide portable light and medium machine gun infantry cover, anti-aircraft coverage, and even sniping ability. Its combination of exceptional mobility – being light enough to be carried by one man – and high rate of fire (of up to 900 rounds per minute) was unmatched. It entered service in great numbers from 1939. Nonetheless, the design proved too complex for mass production, and was supplemented by the cheaper and simpler MG 42, though both remained in service and production until the end of the war.
History
After World War I the German military faced restrictions imposed by the Treaty of Versailles. The treaty restricted the German Reichswehr (Realm Defence) to maximally stockpiling 792 heavy (bulky hard-to-maneuver water-cooled) machine guns and 1,134 light machine guns and actual production of machine guns and development of sustained fire weapons were prohibited. From 1933 Nazi Germany was committed to repudiating the Treaty of Versailles and its restrictions. As part of a (clandestine) military revitalization program the German military sought avenues to get around restrictions imposed by the treaty by resorting to innovative weapon design and engineering, German arms designers working abroad and other foreign assistance.
The MG 34 was based on a 1930 Rheinmetall design, the MG 30. The Swiss and Austrian militaries had both licensed and produced the MG 30 from Rheinmetall shortly after patent and started to enter service in Switzerland. In the spring of 1931 the development of the Einheitsmaschinengewehr (Universal machine gun) started. The MG 30 design was adapted and modified by Heinrich Vollmer of Mauser Industries. Vollmer originally designed the feed mechanism to accept MG 15 inspired 75-round Patronentrommel 34 spring-loaded saddle-drum magazines. The Patronentrommel 34 was a rather complex magazine for which a filling device existed and requiring ordnance personnel and a special tool to optimize the spring tension for reliable feeding. Users were ordered not to adjust the drum spring tension.
In 1937 the feed was redesigned to use reusable non-disintegrating Gurt 33 and Gurt 34 metal belts and a 50-round Gurttrommel 34 (belt drum). The feeding system was based on the direct push-through of the cartridge out of the link into the gun’s chamber. Accordingly, the link had to be of the half-open type to enable the motion of the bolt through the link. The Gurttrommel was designed to be clipped to the left side of the gun and was not a true magazine but held a curled 50-round belt and corresponding starter-segment preventing it from snagging, twisting and getting stuck during mobile assaults. Vollmer also increased the rate of fire. The MG 34's double crescent trigger dictated either semiautomatic or fully automatic firing modes. The capability to use the previous 75-round Patronentrommel 34 saddle-drum magazines (with a simple change of the feed cover for a Trommelhalter magazine holder) was retained. All 75-round Patronentrommel 34 fed MG 34s had been withdrawn from infantry use by 1941, with some remaining in use on armoured personnel carriers.
As the MG 34 was technically based on and featured design elements of several other machine guns, the German arms industry negotiated and worked out complex royalties and patents matters regarding the MG 34 to every involved side's satisfaction.
In the field, the weapon could operate in offensive or defensive applications. The offensive model, with a mobile soldier, used either a 50-round Gurttrommel or a 75-round Patronentrommel 34. In a stationary defensive role, the gun was mounted on a bipod or tripod and fed by a non-disintegrating metal ammunition belt. Belts were carried in boxes of five. Each belt contained 50 rounds. Belt lengths could be linked for sustained fire. During sustained fire, barrels would have to be changed at intervals due to the heat generated by the rapid rate of fire. If the barrels were not changed properly, the weapon would misfire. Changing barrels was a rapid process for the trained operator and involved disengaging a latch and swinging the receiver to the right for the insertion of a new barrel into the barrel shroud. Accordingly, stationary defensive positions required more than one operator.
The MG 34 was the mainstay of German Army support weapons from the time of its first issue in 1935 until 1942, when it was supplanted by the next Einheitsmaschinengewehr generation Maschinengewehr 42 or MG 42. Although the MG 34 was reliable and dominant on the battlefield, its dissemination throughout the German forces was hampered due to its precision engineering and use of high-quality metal alloys, which resulted in high production costs and a relatively slow rate of production. For its successor, the MG 42, the Germans instead used mass production techniques similar to those that created the MP 40 submachine gun. The Germans nevertheless continued widespread production of MG 34s until the end of the war.
Use in Europe
2300 MG 34s, slightly different from the final design, were produced between 1935 and 1939. At the time it was introduced, it had a number of advanced features and the general-purpose machine gun concept that it aspired to was an influential one. The gun was eventually adopted for main service on 24 January 1939.
The MG 34 was used as the primary infantry machine gun, and remained as the primary armored vehicle defensive weapon as it took limited space to change barrels inside a vehicle. The MG 34 was intended to replace the MG 13 and other older machine guns, but these were still being used in World War II as demand was never met. It was intended to be replaced in infantry service by the MG 42, but there were never enough MG 42s, and MG 34s soldiered on in all roles until the end of World War II.
It was the standard machine gun of the Kriegsmarine (German Navy) and was also used as a secondary weapon on several German tanks.
Use in East Asia
MG 34s captured by the British and Soviet armies were sent to both Chinese Nationalist and Chinese Communist forces during both World War II and the Chinese Civil War. The French army sent captured MG 34s to Indochina during the Indochina War. Some models captured from the Germans by the Soviets or manufactured in Czechoslovakia post-WWII were supplied to the People's Liberation Army/People's Volunteer Army, PAVN and the Viet Cong during the Cold War. Several hundred more MG 34s that were in use with these groups were taken from either French or other Western nations fielding captured German weapons fighting against them in colonial wars or anti-communist conflicts.
Today a MG 34 can be found in the Military Museum of the Chinese People's Revolution which was captured from the Chinese Nationalist Army during the Chinese Civil War.
German small arms doctrine
While the Americans had standardized a semi-automatic rifle in 1936 (the M1 Garand), the German military kept issuing Karabiner 98k bolt-action rifles due to their tactical doctrine of basing a squad's firepower on the general-purpose machine gun in the light machine gun role so that the role of the rifleman was largely to carry ammunition and provide covering fire for the machine gunners. The advantage of the general purpose machine gun concept was that it added greatly to the overall volume of fire that could be put out by a squad-sized unit. The German military did experiment with semi-automatic rifles throughout World War 2 and fielded the Gewehr 41 series of which less than 150,000 were built, the Gewehr 43/Karabiner 43 series of which 402,713 were built, and introduced the first assault rifle in 1943 – the MP43 / MP44 / StG 44 series, of which 425,977 were built. Due to the relatively limited production of semi-automatic and assault rifles, the Karabiner 98k of which over 14,600,000 were built remained the primary service weapon until the last days of World War 2, and was manufactured until Germany's surrender in May 1945.
Medium machine gun fire support role
In the German heavy machine gun (HMG) platoons, each platoon served four MG 34/MG 42 machine guns, used in the sustained fire mode mounted on tripods. In 1944 this was altered to six machine guns in three sections with two seven-man heavy machine gun squads per section as follows:
Squad leader (NCO) MP40
Machine gunner (private) MG 34/MG 42 and pistol
Assistant gunner (private) pistol
Three riflemen (privates) rifles
Horse leader for horse, cart and trailer (private) rifle.
Characteristics
The MG 34 fires from an open bolt and this format both keeps the barrel open at both ends after firing ceases, allowing airflow through it and helping it to cool faster, and meanwhile retains the next unfired bullet outside the chamber until the trigger is squeezed again; and thus the cartridges are protected from the risk of cook-offs from high chamber temperatures after long bouts of sustained automatic fire. The firearm was designed with a rotating bolt operated by short recoil aided by a muzzle booster. When the firearm is ready to fire the bolt is pulled back to the rear and is held back by the sear. With the pull of the trigger the sear disengages sending the bolt forward under pressure from the recoil spring. A cartridge is stripped from the magazine or belt and the round is pushed into the chamber. As the bolt moves forward into battery the bolt rotates engaging the locking lugs and chamber locking the bolt to the barrel. The striker strikes and ignites the primer and the round is fired. The recoil causes the barrel and bolt to move backwards a short distance. The rearward movement of the barrel causes the rotating bolt to rotate back disengaging the locking lugs and unlocking the bolt from the barrel. The barrel returns to its forward position while the bolt recoils to its rear position. The empty casing is ejected and the cycle can begin anew.
The MG 34 came with a standard iron sight line consisting of a notched 'V' sight mounted to a post in the rear and a single blade at the front. The sight came calibrated for ranges between 200 and 2,000 m (219 and 2,187 yd) in 100 m (109 yd) meter increments. The standard sight line had a 530 millimeters (20.9 in) sight radius. The MG 34 could accept a variety of different sighting systems, such as an anti-aircraft sight or telescopic sights for use in specialty roles.
The MG 34 could use non-disintegrating metallic-link belts. The feeding system was based on the direct push-through of the cartridge out of the link into the gun’s chamber. Accordingly, the link had to be of the half-open type to enable the motion of the bolt through the link. Belts were supplied in a fixed length of 50 rounds, but could be linked up to make longer belts for sustained firing. A 250-round belt was also issued to machine guns installed in fixed emplacements such as bunkers. Ammunition boxes contained 250 rounds in five belts that were linked to make one continuous 100 round belt and one 150 round belt. The other feed options were assault drums that contained a coiled a 50-round belt, or a 75-round "double drum" magazine could be used by replacing the top cover with one made specially for that purpose. A gun configured to use the 75-round magazine could not be returned to belt-feed mode without changing the top cover again.
The barrel of the MG 34 could be quickly changed to avoid overheating during sustained fire by the machine gun crew and weighed 2 kg (4.4 lb). During a barrel change, the operator would disengage a latch on the left side of the receiver which held the receiver to the barrel sleeve. The entire receiver section could then pivot off to the right on its latitudinal axis, allowing the operator to pull the barrel out the back of the sleeve. A new barrel would then be put in the back of the sleeve, and the receiver rotated back in line with the barrel sleeve and latched. The entire process took just a few seconds when performed by a well-trained operator, causing minimal downtime in battle. The butt-stock could be easily removed to reduce the space occupied when mounted inside a vehicle.
A unique feature of the MG 34 was its double-crescent trigger, which provided select fire capability without the need for a fire mode selector switch. Pressing the upper segment of the trigger produced semi-automatic fire, while holding the lower segment of the trigger produced fully automatic fire. Though considered innovative at the time, the feature was eliminated due to its complexity on the MG 34's successor, the MG 42.
In the light machine gun role, it was used with a bipod and weighed only 12.1 kg (26.7 lb). In the medium machine gun role, it could be mounted on one of two tripods, a smaller one weighing 6.75 kg (14.9 lb), the larger Lafette 34 23.6 kg (52.0 lb).
Lafette 34 tripod
For the medium machine gun role a larger tripod, the MG 34 Lafette 34, included a number of features, such as recoil absorbing buffer springs, MG Z 34 or MG Z 40 periscope-type telescopic sight containing special sighting equipment for indirect fire or the late World War II MG Z 44, designed for direct fire only. An accessory to lengthen these sights' periscope was available, allowing the use of them behind cover. It could be set up in a prone, kneeling or a high position and weighed 20 kg (44.1 lb) on its own. The legs could be extended with a Lafetteaufsatzstück to allow it to be used in the low level anti-aircraft role, and when lowered, it could be placed to allow the gun to be fired "remotely" while it swept an arc in front of the mounting with fire. Mounted to the Lafette and aimed through the telescopic sight the effective range of the MG 34 could be extended out to 3,500 m (3,828 yd) when fired indirectly. The Lafette 34 tripod also had a bolt box to store a (spare) bolt.
Another unique feature of German World War II machine guns was the Tiefenfeuerautomat feature on the Lafette 34 tripod. If selected, this feature mechanically controlled the rise and fall of the gun, elevating the gun for five rounds and then depressing it for four rounds. It lengthened the beaten zone by walking the fire in wave like motions up and down the range in a predefined area. The length of the beaten zone could be set on the Tiefenfeuerautomat. E.g., being unsure whether the real distance was 2,000 or 2,300 m (2,187 or 2,515 yd), the gunner could make the mount do an automatic sweep between the elevations for 1,900 to 2,400 m (2,078 to 2,625 yd) and back. This sweeping of a selected beaten zone continued as long as the gun fired. The Lafette 34 had a Richt- und Überschießtafel (Overhead firing table) riveted to the rear body of the searchfire mechanism from the very start of production until the very end of it. In the later stages of World War II ballistic correction directions were added for overshooting friendly forces with S.m.E. - Spitzgeschoß mit Eisenkern (spitzer with iron core) ammunition of which the external ballistic behaviour started to significantly deviate from 1,500 m (1,640 yd) upwards compared to the s.S. Patrone (s.S. ball cartridge).
Variants
MG 34/41 (MG 34S)
The MG 34/41 was requested as the first war experiences in the beginning of World War II proved that a higher fire rate generates more dispersion of the bullets. The MG 34/41 could cope with a cyclic fire rate of 1,200 rounds per minute. The weight of the MG 34/41 was 14 kg, slightly more than the original MG 34 version. 300 MG 34/41 were produced and were sent to the Russian front in 1942. The MG 34/41 was beaten in trials by the MG 39/41, later designated MG 42.
MG 34 Panzerlauf
Most German tanks used during World War II used the MG 34 Panzerlauf for secondary armament. The MG 42 was ill-suited for internal/coaxial mounting due to the method of barrel change. The MG 42's barrel had to be removed and replaced by sliding the barrel out at an angle such that, when mounted on a tank/armoured vehicle, armour and space would have to be compromised to fit the weapon. Although the MG 34 was older than the, arguably, improved MG 42, its barrel could be swapped in-line with the gun, meaning that the MG 34 was favoured because of the fact that it was simpler to design mountings for the gun. The MG 34 was also easier to feed, for instance using a drum magazine or being select-fire.
The main difference of the MG 34 Panzerlauf and the regular MG 34 was the heavier, almost solid armored barrel shroud, almost completely lacking the ventilation holes of the basic MG 34. When mounted inside a tank, the MG 34 also lacked a butt-stock. A kit for quick conversion to ground use was carried inside the tank containing a butt-stock and a combined bi-pod and front sight assembly.
MG 81
The MG 34 was also used as the basis of a new aircraft-mounted machine gun, the MG 81 machine gun. For this role, the breech was slightly modified to allow feeds from either side, and in one version, two guns were bolted together on a single trigger to form a weapon known as the MG 81Z (for Zwilling, German for "twin" as in twin-mounted). Production of the MG 34 was never enough to satisfy any of its users, and while the MG81 was a significant improvement over the earlier MG 30-based MG 15 and MG 17 guns, these guns were used until the end of the war. As the Luftwaffe lost the battle for air superiority and declined in priority in the German war effort, MG 15s and MG 81s, which were designed as flexibly mounted aircraft machine guns, were modified and adapted for ground use by infantry, with varying degrees of success.
TNW MG34
The TNW MG34 is a closed bolt, semi automatic only version of the MG34 made by TNW firearms, due to the high cost and rarity of the full auto versions. Although they stopped production in 2018, there are still a number of these still being sold on their website and others as well. They will also continue to make part kits for their semi auto MG34.
Users
Algeria: supplied by Czechoslovakia
Biafra: probably supplied by Czechoslovakia
Republic of China
People's Republic of China
Independent State of Croatia
Cuba
Czechoslovakia: produced at Brno during German occupation of Czechoslovakia. Production continues after the war.
East Germany (post-war use on SK-1 armored car)
France
Guatemala: received 1,000 MG34s in 1954 from Czechoslovakia
Hungary
Israel: supplied by Czechoslovakia
Nazi Germany
North Vietnam Used by the NVA and Vietcongin the Vietnam War
Norway (Used and first converted to .30-06 Springfield designated MG34F1 and later to 7.62×51mm NATO designated MG34F2 by the Heimevernet until mid 1990s)
