MA-300 Berdun, or Bear in Lyran parlance
MA-300 Berdun Light Machine Gun
Weight: 4.9 kg standard, 5.5 kg with bipod, 10.5 kg with tripod.
Length: 930mm
Barrel Length: 440mm
Ammunition: 8.5 MCAP, 7.62 MCAP, 6.3 LCL, 6.5 x 45mm JMC, JMC Mk5, 7.62x39mm Russian, 7×57mm Mauser, 7.62mm NATO, 5.56mm NATO, 6mm Remington, 6.5mm Grendel, 8.4 TCH, 6.8mm Marshite, 6.8x43mm SPC Remington.
Rate of Fire: 300, 600, or 900 rounds per minute
Action: Closed-bolt, short-recoil operated, balanced automatic action with semi-automatic option.
Muzzle Velocity: 830 m/s, dependent on cartridge
Effective Range: up to 1950 meters with tripod, bipod; 950 meters.
Feed: Disintegrating-link belt- or magazine-fed. (100 for 8.5 MCAP, 150 LCLC, 150 6.5 JMC, 150 Mk5, 120 7.62 Russian/NATO, 140 TCI, 140 SPC Remington, 100 8.4 TCH)
Sights: T-section iron sight, dorsal picatinny rail allows alternates, BALCOTH-assisted aiming device.
Background
For years, the Marshite military used the vaunted and capable MGJ-21 Mary Jane Light machine Gun. An effective and otherwise perfect light machine gun that was accurate and powerful and provided lethal squad-level support, two issues were brought up by users and they were consistent and vexing. It was heavier than available options on the market and this only became a greater concern when the tripod was considered. The issue of weight on the battlefield only became more important when the Marshite nation was hit with the Shift and the corresponding demand for more nimble weapon systems. The second issue was that the Mary Jane did not function well logistically in the Marshite military for some time. Not fielded working with caseless ammunition natively, the move to the Lyran Caseless rounds and the AHLAR necessitated a look at the Mary Jane logistically. While it was still considered a powerful weapon systems, the logistical environment of the Marshite military made an upgrade possible and in many cases desperately needed. The result of the ensuing project was the MA-300, a lightweight all-purpose machinegun champered in the rounds most commonly found in the Holy Marsh and her foes. Named after the Militia war hero of the Twentieth Khaskan Campaign of 610 CE, it has quickly earned a name for itself.
Construction, Mounting Options
Following along the lines of many other arms in the Marshite arsenal, the MA-300 is made up of high-durability, lightweight, impact-resistant fibreglass-reinforced polyamide. This comes in a high-grip matte finish, with a variety of colours or camouflage patterns available. This is a notable improvement in both stability and weight over the Mary Jane, which had a less efficient use of materials.
The working parts and majority of the gas system are tungsten primarily for its very high heat tolerance, which improves the weapon’s performance and sustained accuracy.
The barrel is cold hammer-forged steel, and is chrome lined, with a 1 in 10 rifling twist.
Sundries are generally composed of synthetics, to keep the weapon’s weight down as far as practical, given the parameters of performance. The weapon is shorter than the Mary Jane.
All of this led to a slight reduction in weight, but the real performance enhancer in terms of weight came in the design of the tripod and bipod. Long forgotten pieces of the light machine gun puzzle, they have been left unmolested in all of their mediocrity. As part of this redesign, the MWSO-16 Bipod and MWSO-17 Tripod were introduced. Vast reductions in weight over previous designs in thanks to their lightweight and high-durability, impact resistant reinforced polyamide construction aided by lengths of titanium to replace the forged steel were achieved.
The end result of the physical construction of the MA-300 is that it is supremely mobile compared to the Mary Jane, with the tripod-mounted version in particular being notably lightweight in comparison.
Further, use of the patented Pachmayr-designed 'Decelerator' handgrips, approved for the LY46, has been approved also for the development of the weapon system. Decelerator grips feature ergonomic finger grooves, carefully machined tactile palm grips, and a patented soft-durable rubber composite.
In keeping with the MA-20 DMR, the user of the MA-300 is deployed with not only his weapon, but two sets of different 'combat transformation units', which consist of an upper receiver and barrel. In combat, the operator can change out his receiver and barrel and change the cartridge his weapon uses. Tranche 1, the deployed version, handles what are known as the 'Caseless Killer' rounds. Tranche 2 operates the '”Standard”, and Tranche 3 is the Myrmidon and it is the newest addition to the Tranche CTU. Tranche 4 is known as the Yanitarian Option and is sold as part of this package, even if Marshites do not use that ammunition.
Ammunition
The MA-300's most potent power is that of its ease to use in any logistical environment. For ease of use, the following has been broken up into 'Caseless Killer”, and “Standard” rounds in accordance with the different ammunition it can carry.
The Caseless Killer is the most commonly used setup of the weapon and for good cause. It uses the two ammunition types most common in the nation and yet serves two different purposes. The 6.3 x 40mm Lyran Caseless is the venerable and dominant cartridge of the day and is used by the LY21. The 8.5x55mm Marshite Caseless Armour Piercing round is the most common round produced in the Holy Marsh and the one used by the Militia Combat Rifle which served as the father of the DMR. Both are similar in everything except size. The Lyran Caseless and Marshite Caseless are a 78% RDX, 12% cellulose acetate (CA), 5.8% triacetin(TA), 4% low-nitrogen content nitrocellulose, 0.2% cardamite mix. The CA is used as an energetic binder, with the TA serving as the CA’s plasticiser to improve the propellant block’s cohesion. By virtue of its unique composition, both are extremely low vulnerability ammunition, and will not ignite even at 350C, although starts producing yellow fumes at 220C. In contrast, conventional nitrocellulose propellant ignites at temperatures slightly below 175C. Despite the usage of caseless ammunition, both rounds are actually less likely to cook-off than conventional ammunition.
Further, at 1097J/g, the propellant is marginally superior to conventional ammunition propellant in energy terms.
Care has been taken in production to keep the plasticiser percentage below 6%, as irregular combustion becomes more prominent as TA increases.
Theoretical prediction of the ballistic performance of this formulation indicates it can achieve marginally superior ballistics for propellant loading, relative to existing nitrocellulose compositions.
Combustible cellulose end-caps ensure that the projectile and primer sit properly within the round, and disintegrate during firing.
The baseline 6.3LC is a hardened steel core, lead-base round optimised for lethality at all ranges and conditions, issued as standard, and similar in terminal effects to the JMC Mk5 that Covenant soldiers are already familiar with. When using this bullet, the weapon is fully capable of going burst or automatic.
The second, the 8.5MCAP, is a tungsten-carbide-cored, armour-piercing round, designed for use against armies fielding personnel with high-end body armour as standard.
The Standard Rounds are the rounds outside of the big-bore and the caseless, and can thus be fielded by just about any standing army. The always available and powerful 6.5 x 45mm JMC, JMC Mk5, 7.62x39mm Russian, 7.62mm NATO, 5.56mm NATO, 6.7x35mm CTA, 6mm Remington, and 6.5mm Grendel are all able to be used by the Standard receiver. This capability allows the user to be supplied at almost all times, as this covers somewhere in the vicinity of 95% of all engagements outside of Covenant forces. This makes it popular among special forces as even without any form of support they are likely able to continue firing. The Militia, which uses all of the Standard Rounds listed, are also quickly adopting the MA-300.
During the design of the MA-300, initial groups of prototypes were able to fire the 9x90 MEN and .30-06 cartridges, providing extremely heavy firepower. However, the emergence of a need to replace the aging BRG-15 in Marshite service saw a push to create a medium to heavy machinegun that could fulfill the heavy firepower role of the 9x90 and above. Along with the weight of the heavy machinegun rounds, the 'Blaster' designation was tossed aside. Instead, the arrival of new ammunition types from
Covenant forces commonly use the Tranche 4 Yanitarian Option which features the 5.5x 45mm Yanitarian and 7.5x45mm Yanitarian ammunition. The Theocracy does not field either cartridge, but both have served Lyran Arms well over the years and they see widespread use. It was therefore considered important for Covenant forces to be able to wield the Tranche 4, and as such it comes standard with all those sold at Lyran Arms. However, Tranche 4 and Tranche 3 are mutually exclusive options.
Operation
The MA-300, like the Mary Jane, is an air-cooled, closed-bolt, recoil operated, belt- or magazine-fed weapon. The advantage in construction with tungsten has allowed it to negate to an extent the heat buildup that plagued the Mary Jane. The weapon is loaded from below, by means of insertion of 100 or 200-round disintegrating belts, held in collapsible box magazines. Various adapters can be fitted to allow it to use any magazine that holds the listed ammunition types. When firing caseless ammunition the weapon is not belt fed, firing from boxed magazines.
The MA-300 is designed as an accurate system with variable rate of fire to be used in a variety of battlefields. It has been specifically engineered for use as a squad/section-level light support weapon, a factor with a number of ramifications, amongst them the provision for a variety of different barrel lengths to be fitted to the weapon for different combat uses. Also available, as with a number of similar squad-level systems, is a variable, operator-selected cyclic rate. This allows for the user to select which cyclic fire rate is preferred for engagement of whatever target is presented, depending on circumstances. Of the four available settings, the first and highest is 900 rounds per minute. At this cyclic rate, the weapon is usually employed as a burst-fire system, while at the same time allowing for the Berdun to quickly put down heavy suppressive firepower if required. The second setting is known as the mobile rate of fire, at 600 rounds per minute. This is the setting normally selected when the weapon is used on the move and presents a more mobile, controllable option. The 300 rounds per minute option is known as the room clearer, with the intent of it being used in close quarter battles and when ammunition is scarce. The final selectable rate of fire is the semi-automatic option, preferred by well-trained forces in room clearing operations.
It can also be used as an impromptu long-distance engagement weapon- mounted on a tripod, it can reach out and touch accurately at great distance. The rate of fire can be selected from BALCOTH and its connection to the electronic suite on the weapon, or it can be done manually. This is achieved by tightening the rollers in the bolt via a screw system controlled from a wheel just behind the charging handle. In order to control it, the user must press a button on top of the weapon, and turn the wheel forward, to slow the rate down to 600rpm. Afterwards, doing the same thing in the opposite direction will raise the rate back up to 800rpm. Two simple ball detents ensure that the two settings do not require any guess work.
A full-potency muzzle-brake, mostly hidden behind the forward elements of the weapon’s furnishings, deflects propellant gases upward and sideways, counteracting some of the rifle’s rearward motion, and also serving in a capacity as a flash suppressor. This muzzle-brake is internally threaded for use with silencers or sound-suppressors, and is designed to also prevent the propellant gases from kicking up dust in and around the shooter’s location, even from the basic-prone firing position. The bolt-carrier assembly moves rearwards into heavy duty recoil springs, which absorb an appreciable portion of the contact/impact with the back of the weapon. Borrowing from the LY20, the rubber pads described above are of further relevance if a silencer is fitted, as this padding also significantly reduces the sound produced by the bolt and piston assemblies impacting their respective stops, circumventing the tell-tale 'click-click-click' sound of silenced automatic weapons fire.
Electronics and Sights
Internal electrics are composed of Indium Gallium Arsenide, selected despite its higher cost over silicon for its extremely high resistance to electromagnetic pulse attack. Circuitry is further protected by kraton insulation, to further improve electromagnetic resilience. Given the very-short lengths of wiring, however, this was never likely to be a problem, in any case. Factory standard Berduns uses a three-post iron sight system, which includes both orange and green tritium inserts for night use. A flip-up anti-aircraft sight can also be fitted. Finally a picatinny rail is fitted onto the top of the weapon, allowing for an ACOG, Aim Point, TGTM-4, or other sighting system to be fitted. Other system options include a heat shield, friction buffer, and an advanced muzzle brake, the latter being threaded for the employment of blank-firing attachments, and also functioning as a flash suppressor. Rails can be fitted to the right and left sides of the barrel, as well as below (although the bipod tends to get in the way if one is fitted), to allow a number of first, second, and third party attachments.
In Marshite use that is all rarely used. Instead, a small electronic port near the safety switch is attached to the user's BALCOTH helmet. After a few seconds, the connection is established and they can be disconnected. Until the end of battery life, the BALCOTH acts as a sighting system that takes into account bullet drop and all other considerations, giving the user a precise readout of where rounds will land on the HUD of BALCOTH. This is much quicker and far more accurate than other systems and has helped increase the lethality of the Berdun several times.
Due to the implementation of low vulnerability caseless ammunition, the MA-300 uses an electronic trigger, rather than the conventional firing pin/percussion cap layout, to ignite the propellant and release a round. The electrical ignition grants lock times at approximately 20 microseconds; a considerable improvement on mechanical lock times, in addition to the other benefits. Fewer moving parts, and no mass shift during firing also improves accuracy and decreases component wear. Twin 20-volt lithium ion polymer batteries, located in the lower portion of the butt, allow it to fire approximately 6,500 rounds without replacement or recharge. The battery charge status can be displayed through the multi-function battlesight by activation of the appropriate switch on the sighting system, and a plug can serve as a recharge point, from any standard AC or DC power source, including those featured on most Covenant. The batteries are loaded from the rear of the butt, and can be changed in about 20 seconds, should the need arise.
Testing and Results
Recently, 190 soldiers participated in a two-week assessment of the MA-300 light machine gun at Khaskan Weapons Development and Testing Site 65 to demonstrate its capabilities against the MGJ-21 Mary Jane. In one test the soldiers, half armed with the Mary Jane and half with new MA-300s, marched ten miles in full combat gear then fired at targets to measure stress and muscle fatigue. Another test had the soldiers sprint 300 yards wearing body armor and a basic load of equivalent ammunition, then rapidly engage close-range targets. A third test involved soldiers of the 208th Turien Militia performing a squad maneuver live-fire exercise in an urban setting. Consensus was reached on a generally universal level, favoring the reduced recoil and significantly reduced weight of the MA-300. Militia and regular army alike remarked that the MA-300 had better accuracy than the Mary Jane. The semi-automatic option made it more viable for room clearing.
168 out of the 190 soldiers that participated in the assessment said they would prefer using the MA-300 in combat rather than the Mary Jane, with many of the holdouts being those who had used the Mary Jane on the field of battle in multiple campaigns and formed an attachment. The MA-300 LMG is considerably lighter than the Mary Jane and its ammunition volume is 15 percent less, enabling all the soldiers that maneuvered the obstacle course to complete it faster when carrying it. Participants also took less time to zero their machine guns when using the MA-300 thanks to their BALCOTH assisted systems. MA-300 users completed the course, on average, one minute and sixteen seconds faster than Mary Jane users due to increased mobility given by its shorter length, lighter construction, and lighter ammo. When firing, gunners felt virtually no recoil from the MA-300. The MA-300 fired a combined 300,000 rounds during the testing and suffered significantly fewer faults. Lethality was up broadly depending on ammunition type, with comparable ammunition expenditures and types across the competing platforms noting a superior lethality for the MA-300.
Export
The MA-300 is a leap forward in light machines for the nations of the Covenant and a powerful upgrade for infantry. The Church has authorized both variants to be sold, with different versions to be sold at different storefronts. Purchases come with two boxes of 6.8x43mm SPC Remington and parts
The MA-300 Berdun can be purchased for $3,800 NS Dollars. DPRs at $3.8 billion standard NS Dollars
Purchases are to be made through Covenant Arms and Lyran Arms.
