Chile conducts exercise with Galil ACE 22N-C assault rifle and MG-3 machine gun.

The Chilean Army conducted a firing certification session with the IWI Galil ACE 22-NC 5.56x45 mm assault rifle and the Rheinmetall MG-3 7.62x51 mm machine gun.
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Chilean soldier with IWI Galil ACE 22N-C assault rifle (Picture source: Chilean MoD)

According to social media posts from the 9th Mountain Detachment Arauco, the purpose of this exercise was to maintain an optimal level of training for the conscript soldiers of the Andean Riflemen Company. During the exercise, carried out at the detachment's firing range, the troops were able to certify their skills with the Rheinmetall MG-3 machine gun at distances of 100 and 200 meters, concluding with firing the Galil ACE 22-NC rifle at 100 meters in prone, kneeling, and standing positions. This certification enhances the abilities and skills of the conscript soldiers as individual fighters, aiming to maintain the operational readiness of the unit.

The Chilean Army chose the IWI Galil ACE 22 N-C assault rifle from Israel Weapon Industries (IWI) in 2013. Project Sparta involved the licensed co-production and final assembly of 21,960 units at the army's Small Arms Factory (Famae). Production began in 2015 and the last batch was delivered in 2017.

The Galil ACE 22N-C is a compact and lightweight 5.56 x 45 mm assault rifle, based on the original Galil developed by the Israeli defense industry in the late 1960s. It was introduced into service in 2008, featuring design improvements and new materials to increase accuracy and reduce weight while maintaining the ergonomics, ease of maintenance, and reliability of the original Galil.

The rifle has a 35.6 cm barrel and reaches a length of 84.4 cm with the stock extended. It weighs 3.4 kg without the magazine and includes a four-position retractable stock. The rifle operates on a gas system with a rotating bolt, firing 650 to 950 rounds per minute. It also has a three-position fire selector on both sides (safe, single-shot, and burst).

The rifle is equipped with five Picatinny rails for attaching various optical sights and accessories, such as assault grips, flashlights, bipods, flash suppressors, and the IWI GL 40 grenade launcher. It features an ergonomic, modern, and fully ambidextrous design and can be disassembled without tools.

The MG-3, on the other hand, is a general-purpose machine gun developed by Rheinmetall, an evolution of the MG-42 used by the German Wehrmacht during World War II. Introduced in 1968, the MG-3 differs from the MG-42 mainly in its 7.62 x 51 mm caliber and the incorporation of alloys and plastics in recent models.

The air-cooled machine gun operates with a roller-locked, moving barrel and belt feed. It is 1,225 mm long and weighs 11.5 kg with a bipod and 25.5 kg with a tripod. The MG-3 is effective at distances between 800 and 1200 meters. It uses 50-round belts and can also be fed from cylindrical or rectangular ammunition drums. It features an interchangeable barrel that must be replaced after about 250 shots.

The Chilean Army was one of the first to incorporate this weapon. It is used by infantry troops in the rifle machine gun and machine gun versions, as well as a coaxial weapon in Leopard 2A4 tanks and Marder 1A3 armored vehicles.

Such exercises are always interesting to observe the arsenal of different armed forces around the world and provide an opportunity to revisit the equipment used by them.