- Beretta AS70/90
Infobox Weapon|is_ranged=yes
caption=
name=Beretta AS70/90
type=Light machine gun
origin=flagcountry|Italy
era=
design_date=
prod_design_date=
serv_design_date=
used_by=
wars=
spec_type=
caliber=5.56x45mm NATO
action=
part_length=460mm (18.3inch es)
cartridge=
feed=VariousSTANAG Magazine s.
action=Gas-operated ,rotating bolt ,selective fire
rate=800 rounds/min
velocity=
weight=5.4kg (11.8lbs) unloaded
length=1000mm (39.4inch es)
sights=Adjustable front post, 2 position rear flip aperture
variants=
number=The Beretta AS70/90 was alight machine gun orsquad automatic weapon derived from theBeretta AR70/90 rifle system. It used the samegas operated ,rotating bolt system as the rifle but fired from anopen bolt and had a much heavier fixed barrel.There were some minor cosmetic changes from the rifle, including a beefier front hand grip and enlarged handguards around the barrel. The stock was modified slightly to support the shooters shoulder and provides a grip for the support hand.
The carrying handle was removable and its mounting can be used for a variety of optics.
The AS70/90 light machine gun had been introduced by
Beretta as a response to the requests of theItalian Army , which by the time (late 1980s) was looking for a more compact and handysquad automatic weapon to replace in this role the MG-42/59 (Italian license-made version of the GermanRheinmetall MG3 machine-gun). The AS70/90 anyway never passed well the extremely stringent trial tests it underwent by theAlpini troops of the Italian Army. Theopen bolt working system made this gun more sensitive to the penetration of dirt and other elements which caused frequent jamming and malfunctions. Furthermore, the AS70/90 fed only bySTANAG magazines; and although this includes the possibility of using the high-capacity (100-rounds)Beta C-Mag , this was still too little for the necessity of the Italian Armed Forces, who basically wanted a belt-fed weapon with magazine-feeding possibility as an emergency optional. As a result, the AS70/90 was discarded, theFN MINIMI light machine-gun being adopted instead (and being since manufactured under license in Italy byBeretta ). The AS70/90 never interested any other customer, and quickly went out of the Beretta Defence/Police catalogues. The very few samples manufactured are today in the hands of Beretta itself and of the Italian Armed Forces, which make no use of it.ources
*Charles Cutshaw, "Tactical small arms of the 21st century"
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