(Editor’s Note: Robert Bruce’s many reports for SAR on the Global War on Terror have provided a good look at guys, guns and gear of US and Coalition forces. Now, he offers another dramatic photo essay showing the principal battlefield weapons being employed by radical Islamic militants, commonly referred to as “insurgents.” – Robert G. Segel)

“Approach us, oh paradise. Oh brigade of martyrdom-seeker: Celebrate and sing the praise of God, for tomorrow you will meet the beloved ones, Muhammad and his companions. You have never accepted injustice, Oh lions of monotheism. This is your day. Go after the heads of the infidels, the Jews, the Crusaders, and the descendants of Ibn al-Alqami. Do not show any mercy toward them.” Al-Qa’ida statement posted 14 September 2005 on Global News Network Forum

This chilling “prayer” for merciless and suicidal attacks against Coalition forces and others opposing the world’s most infamous terrorist organization was just one – and by no means the worst – among venomous calls to action that spew forth daily. Legions of terrorist insurgents draw strength and purpose from these messages, going out to strike with all weapons at their disposal.

Asymmetric Warfare

While there is no shortage of willing martyrs among the teeming masses of the radical Islamic world, the futility of slugging it out with technologically and lethally superior US and allied military forces is recognized by both sides. Thus, savvy terrorist leaders employ a guerrilla style of warfare that, until recently, Western armies have termed “low intensity conflict.”

Since there is nothing lacking in the intensity of car bombs, mass executions and the like, this inadequate name has been largely replaced in the last several years with “asymmetric warfare.” The new term more accurately describes exploitation by insurgent forces of American and Allied vulnerabilities discovered through constant and creative probes.

For example, traditional convoy ambushes require a lot of preparation and movement of men and weaponry into fixed positions where they must wait for their prey to arrive in the killing zone. Western advantages in day and night surveillance, from a variety of air and ground platforms, make this unacceptably risky – particularly outside of urban areas.

So insurgents now most often use two relatively low-risk means for convoy ambush. The first involves planting IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices) anywhere along many miles of road and then remotely detonating them. The asymmetric advantage comes from extreme difficulty in detecting the IED planting, spotting it along the way, and stopping the trigger man with his radio or cell phone.

The second is packing a car or truck with explosives and driving it right into the midst of allied vehicles on the move. Advantages come from official reluctance to risk civilian lives (and inflammatory television news pictures) by uncompromisingly enforcing safe distance requirements. Consequently, convoys and soldiers get horribly mangled at the cost to terrorists of a wheelman or two. Asymmetric annihilation.

Suicide/Homicide

Given the Western world’s traditional respect for individual human life it also makes sense for terrorists to exploit this as a perceived weakness. Radical Islamic clerics assure their followers that heavenly rewards await all who die in the war on infidels so male and female volunteers of all ages line up for suicide missions.

Inspired no doubt by the horrific effectiveness of suicide bomb attacks by the Palestine Liberation Organization against Israel, Muslim teenagers and others strap on explosive vests covered with a matrix of hundreds of steel pellets or any other lethal implements such as nails. All too often they are able to walk undetected into high value targets where they activate detonators, blowing themselves to bits in the act.

Even if the target is not of significant military value there are asymmetric warfare benefits. News outlets exploit the grisly imagery and world opinion is shaken by the incomprehensible acts of these “martyrs.”

Lessons from Vietnam

Just as guerrilla style warfare eventually succeeded in Vietnam, hit and run tactics have been embraced by insurgents in Iraq and Afghanistan. They wear no uniforms and enjoy the support of enough civilians to comfortably hide between offensive actions.

In addition to monetary and materiel resources from Osama bin Laden and other terror networks, their cause is aided by a familiar cast of bad actors including much of the news media, all of the so called “antiwar movement,” endless legal challenges from various America haters, and leftist politicians both foreign and domestic.

No Shortage of Small Arms

It is no big deal for jihadists to be very well armed with a variety of serviceable and effective arms because Southwest Asia is awash with weaponry from decades of stockpiling and indiscriminate issue during various wars. Indeed, when Saddam’s forces were allowed to escape destruction on the battlefield in the opening weeks of Operation Iraqi Freedom, most took their weapons home and nobody secured the armories and ammo dumps from looters. The better part of these, from pistols to rocket launchers, is of Communist Bloc design and manufacture.

The ever-popular AK-47 style assault rifle, chambered in original 7.62x39mm, is undoubtedly the most commonly encountered and, surprisingly, may be legally owned by Iraqi citizens when properly registered. This is a practical solution to the very real problems of personal and family security presented by the enormous numbers of illegal weapons in the hands of terrorists and other criminals.

Also firing this serviceable intermediate M43 cartridge is the RPK, a squad automatic weapon version of the AK characterized by a longer barrel with bipod, extended 40 round magazine, and distinctive wooden buttstock. The belt-fed RPD is also occasionally encountered.

Moving up in caliber to 7.62x54R, insurgents field large numbers of the belt-fed PKMs, almost always in a bipod-mounted version. Roughly equivalent to the US M60 and M240, this air cooled general purpose machine gun boasts significantly better range and penetration than the AK caliber weapons it supports.

Sharing the Russian rimmed full-power rifle cartridge are SVD style sniper rifles, usually Romanian FPK/PSLs. While these are often equipped with four power day optics, some night scopes are beginning to find their way into enemy hands through capture of Coalition weapons or direct supply from terrorist supporters abroad.

The Soviet DShKM and CHICOM Type 54 heavy machine guns represent a big jump in caliber and capability by pumping formidable 12.7x108mm rounds at 575 rpm out to an effective range of more than 2,000 meters. Comparable to the legendary US M2HB “Fifty Cal.,” these helicopter and AFV killers are highly respected by both sides.

RPG!!!

Officially categorized as the number two most effective casualty-producing weapon in the hands of insurgents (IEDs hold first place), the Soviet designed RPG-7 rocket launcher is a recurring nightmare to all US and Coalition forces. It achieved well-deserved notoriety more than three decades ago in the Vietnam War and hasn’t slacked off since. Astounding numbers of these unguided missile pipes are all over the place along with so many rockets that there is no end in sight.

While it has its flaws (notoriously inaccurate in crosswinds), the RPG is simple to use effectively at relatively close range and is capable of punching right through the aluminum “armor” of Bradleys, LAVs and Strykers; not to mention Kevlar and ceramic plates on up-armored Hummers and many of the new Gun Trucks.

Flares and Evasive Action

Military and commercial flights into Baghdad International and most other airports in the region often perform radically evasive maneuvers and release decoy flares. These defensive measures are taken in response to reports of insurgent antiaircraft weapons in general and the feared SA-7 in particular. This Soviet built shoulder-fired antiaircraft weapon fires a heat seeking missile that locks on to engine exhaust and steers itself to the kill. Although less effective than the US Stinger, the SA-7 can bring down subsonic aircraft operating within its 3,500 meter range. Plenty were supplied by former countries of the Soviet Union as well as similar designs from some “allied” European nations.

Mortars and Rockets

The high angle of fire and relatively long range of mortars and rockets make these ancient weapons very effective for harassment of Coalition installations. Most are Soviet type 82mm mortars and 122mm rockets. Although our side’s ballistic tracking radar can almost instantly pinpoint the location of the weapon once it is fired, a skilled insurgent crew will “shoot and scoot” long before retaliatory fire can be brought to bear. Meanwhile, no base, airfield or compound is completely safe and it only takes a round or two each night to abruptly interrupt sleep, keep nerves on edge and reduce mission effectiveness.

Insurgents on the Internet

Because royalty payments must be made for clearance to publish commercial news images of insurgents in action – too often rewarding agencies and photographers sympathetic to their cause – Small Arms Review will not provide money to support terrorism. All of the images used in this report have come from official US and Coalition military news sources.

However, for a frightening glimpse into the dark world of freedom’s many enemies among radical Muslims, we recommend a visit to the website www.albasrah.net. Click the picture boxes for hundreds of portraits of terrorists in action.

I spent some time looking at the tanks and the guns out front, but once inside I went almost directly to The Arms Room. A placard there states;

“One cannot understand military history without some awareness of the development of small arms—notably the rifle, pistol and machine gun.”

Specimens in the room give clear examples of that development. The earliest Arms Room exhibits date from the Indian Wars and the Civil War. World War I is well represented with German Maxims, British Vickers, M98 Mausers, 1903 Springfields and a Mauser Tank-Gewehr M1918.

World War II subguns on display include the British STEn, German MP40, U.S. Thompson, an M3, and a PPsh. The battle rifle case holds an M-1, an M1 Carbine, an M-14, a couple of M16s, two AKs, an RPK and a BAR. Single shot and bolt action rifles from America’s wars are also displayed.

Several pistols I saw were interesting and unusual. One, a 1911 with adjustable sights, was the “personal weapon”of Major General Chester J. Moeglein. Another Colt, a 1903 in .32 ACP, was also donated by General Moeglein. A Spanish pistol, an Astra 300 or a lookalike, was displayed too. According to the card it was not a simple semiautomatic pistol, but could be made into, “a rudimentary submachine gun.” The card also said the pistol was only produced from 1934 to 1936. Other pistols of note included a Nazi-marked 1910/22 Browning.

The museum is dedicated to preserving the military history of the State of Minnesota. Since the state has been involved in American conflicts since 1861, the exhibits also give a good history of America’s wars from then until now. Minnesota also has quite a record of military firsts. Museum Director David L. Hanson, Colonel USA Retired, ran down the list for me in an interview at the museum.

Minnesota was the first state to provide militia troops to Lincoln’s army in 1861. The first armor unit deployed for World War II was the 194th Tank Battalion from Brainard. It was sent to the Philippines in 1941 and was involved in fighting the invading Japanese army in a delaying action before the Philippines fell. Many of its men were on the Bataan Death March. On November 19, 1943 the first shell fired by American ground forces against the Germans was fired by Battery B, 175th Field Artillery Battalion of the 34th Infantry Division of the Minnesota National Guard at Medjez-El-Bab, Tunisia. Members of a Minnesota Naval Militia unit crewed a deck gun aboard the destroyer USS Ward. An hour before the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Ward and the Minnesota gun crew fired the first shot against the Japanese in Hawaii, sinking a two-man Japanese mini-sub that was trying to enter the harbor.

The museum also has material on General John W. Vessey, Jr. He enlisted in the 34th Infantry Battalion of the Minnesota National Guard in May of 1939, and received a battlefield commission at Anzio in 1944. After World War II, he stayed in the army and rose to wear four stars. He became Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Of Staff in June of 1982 and served in that position until October, 1985.

Exhibits, which include correct firearms and equipment for the times, cover The Indian Wars, The Spanish American War, World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam and Desert Storm. My wife and I thought the exhibits were well designed. Our kids are still a little museum-resistant after a family trip through Wisconsin, Minnesota, the Dakotas and a little of Montana two years ago. Say “Buffalo Hide Scraper made from a rifle barrel,” and they cover their ears and wail. All three of them—17, 15 and eight—seemed to have a good time at the Minnesota Military Museum. It didn’t hurt that there were no hide scrapers displayed, or that climbing was allowed on the tanks outside the museum.

Director David L. Hanson, Colonel USA Retired told me that the museum, “caters to the tourists during the season.” It is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday from late May to early September, but closed on National Holidays. The rest of the year it is open Thursdays and Fridays from 9 a.m to 4 p.m. Tours for groups may be arranged by calling ahead. The suggested donation is $2 per adult with military personnel and children admitted free. Annual memberships start at $18. The Museum can be reached at (320) 632-7374, or by mail at Minnesota Military Museum, Camp Ripley, 15000 Hwy., 115, Little Falls, MN 56345. The email address is mnmuseum@brainerd.net., and there is a also information available on the Web through the Explore Minnesota website.

(Figs 2 & 3) You will notice that the head of the spindle is T-shaped where the knob mates to it. This completes the disassembly for cleaning the drum. There are five major components of the Soviet drum, making it very simple to clean and reassemble (Fig 4).

The drum is assembled in reverse order. The feed mechanism must be rotated clockwise in order to tighten the wound leaf-spring, which keeps tension on the rounds and ensures reliable feeding. All of the feed mechanisms I have seen in the Soviet drums have an arrow stamped into one of the arms, which indicates the direction in which the mechanism is rotated to create spring tension. I index the feed mechanism by positioning the arm with the arrow just ahead of the magazine neck. I then rotate the mechanism in the direction of the arrow until two more of the arms pass the same point. The three-round “feeder tab”, which acts as a follower, is placed into the neck and is pushed upwards by the mechanism. (Fig 5) The rear cover is then set in place and installing the knob completes re-assembly.

To load the Soviet drum, it is held by placing the right thumb on the side of the neck and the index finger is hooked on the lip of the loading lever.(Fig 6) The loading lever has a ratchet that rotates the feed mechanism inside the drum and allows the rounds to move into place between the arms of the mechanism. The left hand is used to insert cartridges into the neck of the drum. The method I use is a “two and three” pattern, in which I pull the lever up for each of two rounds and then push in three more without pulling the lever. This method has worked for me to prevent the rounds from jamming up as they move into place inside the drum, which is a possible problem with external-loading drums of this type. As always, it is best for each individual to use the method that suits himself.

Which of the two drums do I prefer? Like most similar things in life, they each have strengths and weaknesses. The Chinese drum can be loaded and unloaded with ease, but the Soviet drum cannot be accidentally opened and seems to be more robust and solid, as it is made of thicker metal. Although cartridges in the two drums appear to be organized in the same manner, the Chinese drum may actually feed a little more smoothly than the Soviet drum, due to the cartridges being more compartmentalized in the drum. The Soviet drum relies more on spirals in the front and rear interior of the drum to guide the cartridges up into the neck as the feed mechanism rotates. (As you can see in the lead photo) The Chinese drum can be stored fully loaded and the spring wound when ready, but I have found that, sometimes during firing, the spring might not be wound enough and one has to wind it up a few more clicks to feed the last few rounds. This does not happen with the Soviet drum. I have also kept my Soviet drum loaded for months and it functions just fine.

The Soviet drum has a carrier that is made of green rubberized fabric, with straps that are secured by aluminum studs which protrude through holes in them. The straps can be released by pulling upwards on the ends. The carrier I have is actually East German, but the drum is Soviet, as evidenced by the “star in shield” marking stamped near the neck of the drum. The drum can be used with the carrier in place by releasing the carrier from the belt and pulling off the cover on the neck.

The Chinese drum comes with a cotton olive-drab carrier that has a cloth shoulder strap, a side pouch for a cleaning kit or oiler, and is secured with those goofy loop-and-wood button closures that the Chinese seem to be so fond of. It appears to me that the drum must be removed from its carrier to be used, because, if nothing else, the shoulder strap hangs down when the drum is inserted into the weapon and the gunner’s enemy would probably die of laughter as he trips and falls with the strap tangled about his legs! Perhaps that’s what that side pouch is for.

I prefer the Soviet drum for its stronger construction, reliable function, ease of disassembly, and functional carrier, which also is not as likely to rot in more hostile climates. As stated before, it is also more prone-friendly due to its forward cant, whereas the Chicom drum hangs relatively straight down under the weapon. Both drums are heavy when fully loaded, and may not be practical for routine patrol with a standard AKM. For ambush situations or regular blasting, however, this is quickly remedied by proper application of the trigger finger. In either case, I highly recommend this desirable accessory for one of the world’s best combat weapons.