BRG-15
Summary
| Country | 🇧🇪 Belgium |
| Category | Machine gun |
| Manufacturer | FN Herstal |
Technical specifications
| BRG-15 | |
|---|---|
| Fire Rate | 600 rounds/min. |
| Caliber | 15.5 x 115 mm |
| Magazine | belts of 100 rounds |
| Length | 2150 mm (84.6 in) |
| Weight | 60.0 kg (132.3 lb) |
| Range | 2000 m (6562 ft) |
Description
The FN BRG-15 heavy machine gun was a development project by Fabrique Nationale de Herstal, intended as a potential successor to the Browning M2HB .50 caliber machine gun. Announced in October 1983, the project aimed to produce a weapon and cartridge combination more powerful than the .50 BMG, offering improved performance against light armored vehicles, similar to the Soviet 14.5mm KPV. Initial development used a 15mm caliber (15x115mm), formed by necking down a 20mm Hispano cartridge case. After a protracted development period, the caliber was modified to 15.5mm (15.5x106mm), reportedly to address barrel wear issues. The 15.5x106mm cartridge was derived from the case of the KPV's 14.5mm round. The BRG-15 project was discontinued in the early 1990s, as FN shifted its focus to other development efforts, such as the P90 personal defense weapon.
The BRG-15 design incorporated several notable features:
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A 15.5x106mm cartridge firing a subcaliber bullet
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An approximate muzzle energy of 40,000 joules, significantly higher than the M2HB's 18,000 joules
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A dual feeding system accepting linked ammunition belts from both the right and left sides.
Empty cartridge cases were ejected downwards from the receiver. A quick-change barrel assembly was developed as part of the BRG-15 design and was later redesigned and implemented in later versions of the M2HB heavy machine gun.