Central Wisconsin Armory exhibited its M3D Heavy machine gun at AUSA 2014

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AUSA 2014
Association of the United States Army
AUSA Annual Meeting & Exposition
13 to 15 October 2014
Washington D.C., United States
 
Central Wisconsin Armory at AUSA 2014
 
 
Wednesday, October 22, 2014 05:45 PM
 
Central Wisconsin Armory exhibited its M3D Heavy machine gun at AUSA 2014
The M3D, also know as Dragon M-50, was presented by Central Wisconsin Armory during AUSA 2014 in Washington, D.C.. This machine gun is a lighter, faster and more reliable version of the famous M2HB 12.7x99mm machine gun.
     
CWA M3D 12.7x99mm in side-by-side twin-mount configuration at AUSA 2014
     
In an attempt to compete with the GAU-21/M3M of FNH USA, CWA proposes his own improved version of the venerable M2HB, the M3D. The weapon has a lot of advantages compare to the original M2. The M3D is 13.5 lbs lighter and 1 foot shorter than the M2HB. Its rate of fire is twice (around 950 rounds per minute) of a current version of a .50 caliber M2. Other design enhancements include an improved barrel liner and an integral flash suppressor that eliminates “blooming” in night-vision goggles. It can be mounted on differents platforms (ground vehicles, aircraft, riverine...) and can also be used from the ground. This machine gun is available in two versions, single-mount or side-by-side twin-mount. In this last configuration, the two guns can be operated independently of each other.

M3D development work began in 2006 with initial availability in 2008. According to CWA owner and M3D inventor Leroy E. Haywood, the gun is currently deployed with “one Middle Eastern country” and one unspecified U.S. Army Special Forces Group. “Now that the U.S. military sees the benefits of ‘shorter, lighter, faster,’ they really like it”, Haywood said. “So we are going to be doing some serious demonstrations for the U.S. military over the next few months. And hopefully growth will continue with our allies in implementing the platform as well”.

CWA proposes a retrofit kit to modify the M2HB, M3P or M3AC and convert them in M3D. CWA also offers different services like maintenance and parts replacement training.