The Type 62 has been largely supplanted as a squad support weapon with the JGSDF by the M249. The M249 is produced under local license by Sumitomo and is a copy of the excellent Belgian FN Minimi. The Type 62 remains in used as a General Purpose Machine Gun, medium machine gun and vehicle machine gun. As a vehicle weapon, it is known as the Type 72 and features a lengthier, heavier barrel and actuation through a solenoid arrangement. It retains the same gas system of the Type 62. Rate-of-fire is increased to 700-1,000 rounds-per-minute though, interestingly, the weapon system is lighter than its squad-level sister. In the stationary support role, the weapon is fitted onto the American M2 tripod. The weapon has seen deployment with Japanese forces in the Iraq War though very little noted combat beyond that. It has not seen export.
Content ©MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.