The world's lightest Type 88 general-purpose machine gun

The Type 88 general-purpose machine gun, why it was quickly scrapped by our army in just over a decade

China's Type 88 general-purpose machine gun, which also refers to the QJY88 5.8-mm general-purpose machine gun, made its public debut in 1999, and then began to equip the troops.In 2013, an improved Type 88 machine gun appeared, with a new type of rifling device that clearly distinguishes it from the previous trumpet, and a shape close to the Type 80 general-purpose machine gun, which is very nice. The shape is close to the Type 80 general-purpose machine gun, which is very good-looking. The research may be the use of the new 5.8 mm DBP10 general-purpose rifle cartridges. 88 type 5.8 mm general-purpose machine gun is claimed to be the world's lightest general-purpose machine gun, in the light machine gun state of the full weight of the machine gun state of 7.6 kilograms. 88 type general-purpose machine gun only served for more than a decade time, in 2016 it was announced that the discontinuation of the production of the main reason is the performance of the mediocrity of the power is too small, the high is not low and the status of the embarrassment.

As a new general-purpose machine gun, the 88-type general-purpose machine gun is not popular, the data show that the 88-type general-purpose machine gun was finalized in 1996, and began to equip the troops in 1997, so far it has been finalized for more than 20 years, but the total production is very low, less than 20,000, which is why some people think that it is "rapidly withdrawing from the stage of history. ". As a comparison, the first generation of general-purpose machine guns developed by our army, the Type 67 machine gun, produced more than 30,000 machine guns in the 1970s alone. At present, the 88-type general-purpose machine gun is still in service in the army, although not "quickly out of the stage of history".

But in a 2018 magazine interview with academician Duo Yingxian to discuss the development trend of light weapons, Duo academician has confirmed that the military scrapped the already scrapped 87-type double-base ball flat firing charge, making the 10-type general-purpose ammunition exist in name only, and then scrapped the 88-type general-purpose machine gun and 95-type rifle ammunition, the whole industry into the doldrums. This means that the 88-type general-purpose machine gun is indeed our army was abandoned. 88-type general-purpose machine gun weighs 11.8 kg, the frame weighs 4.2 kg, the theoretical rate of fire of 1,000 rounds per minute, the effective range of 1,000 meters. Light machine gun state with 100 rounds of ammunition drum supply, heavy machine gun state only with 200 rounds of ammunition chain supply, 88-type general-purpose machine gun using gas-guided automatic mode, the gun rotary locking mechanism, the ammunition supply system is different from the traditional dual-range mode.

Originally, the 88-type general-purpose machine gun was quite distinctive, and its range and power were to suppress the 95 squad machine gun. Both are the same use of 5.8 mm caliber bullets, but at first for the convenience of logistics, 95 squad machine using the same bullets and 95-type assault rifle, are 5.8 mm ordinary bullet, which is also the international common practice. The later development of the QJY88 general-purpose machine gun uses a special 5.8 mm heavy bullet, called DVP88 machine gun rounds, 5.8 mm heavy bullets are the main users of the QJY88 general-purpose machine gun and 88 sniper rifle, we all know that the kinetic energy and the speed and quality of the warhead is related to the use of heavy bullets can improve the range and penetration of the warhead. 5.8 mm heavy bullets are bigger and heavier warheads with a greater range, and penetration is also greater. The 5.8mm round is larger and heavier, has a longer range and greater penetration.

The Type 88 general-purpose machine gun is used as a light machine gun when using a bipod, and becomes a heavy machine gun when using a tripod. Compared with the 95 squad machine gun, the Type 88 general-purpose machine gun has a greater striking power and a stronger suppression effect, so the outside world was more optimistic about its prospects. Starting in 2005, the PLA Army Field Group Army began to implement a new infantry squad weapon establishment in armored infantry companies, removing the tripod from the Type 88 general-purpose machine gun and delegating it to infantry squads in the form of a bipod light machine gun, with a front and deputy shooter of two people. Such squad firepower can be close to the U.S. Army.

However, the good times didn't last long, after the Gulf War, the U.S. Army questioned the combat capability of the small-caliber 5.56mm M249 machine gun. Then in 1993 the U.S. Army in Mogadishu combat failure, heavy losses. After the war, the U.S. Army summarized the combat losses by pointing out that although the 5.56 mm caliber light machine gun is flexible and lightweight, it is still far inferior to the 7.62 mm general-purpose machine gun in terms of suppression role. Starting in 2015, the new armored infantry squad of our army has changed a lot.

The bipodal 8B machine gun that served as the squad machine gun was eliminated, and each squad was equipped with two Type 95 squad machine guns, eliminating the machine gun deputy shooter. As a result, armored infantry squads in infantry fighting vehicles have six infantrymen who get out of their vehicles to fight, and a squad with two machine gunners carrying two Type 95 squad machine guns still has a lot of firepower. Even with the use of 5.8 mm heavy ammunition, the 88 type general-purpose machine gun's power and range still can not be compared with the medium-caliber general-purpose machine gun. 88 type general-purpose machine gun research and development of the birth of the main driver is the very popular at that time, "medium-caliber general-purpose machine gun useless theory", but later in the actual combat process, the "useless theory". "The first time I saw the machine gun, I was able to get it to work, and I was able to get it to work, and I was able to get it to work.

Now that this "useless theory" has been proved wrong, China's Type 88 5.8mm general-purpose machine gun has become very embarrassing. If it is equipped to the battalion company level, it is 5.8 mm heavy caliber is too small, our army is now under the jurisdiction of the new fire platoon of the Mobu Company has a compilation of two 12.7 mm heavy machine gun squad, in the battalion level is also equipped with a large number of 12.7 mm caliber 89 heavy machine gun, the latter's strike damage, suppression effect is definitely not 88 type general-purpose machine gun can be compared to the 88 type general-purpose machine gun. 88 type general-purpose machine gun is soon caught in an embarrassing situation. embarrassing situation.

If it is equipped to the combat squad, with the 95 squad machine together, it seems to be wonderful. But in reality, the Type 88 general-purpose machine gun uses a different 5.8-millimeter heavy round, which doesn't allow for easy logistical resupply. At the same time, it does not have the ability to swim across the river, in the event of water crossing the river need to use floatation gear, it is not convenient to use, but also easy to slow down the combat squad's rapid assault operations. Therefore, the 88 type general-purpose machine gun can play a very limited role. For all these reasons, it is not surprising that the 88-type general-purpose machine gun was eventually abandoned.