Israeli Upgrades Enhance Precision of Negev Machine Gun

In a remarkable display of ingenuity and resourcefulness, two Israelis have developed adaptors that allow professional scopes to be mounted on first-generation Negev machine guns, significantly enhancing their accuracy. These adaptors are being distributed free of charge to reservists, bypassing standard procedures and relying on personal funds.

“Negevists are the toughest among men. They don’t share and talk much, and still, they really appreciate the invention,” project manager Yosef Darshan told The Press Service of Israel at a workshop in Mevo Beitar.

The Negev, a lightweight machine gun made in Israel, is designed for use by infantry squads and special forces, providing suppressive fire and increased combat effectiveness. While newer models with sights have been issued to regular soldiers, many reservists still use the older, sightless versions.

Amid the hum of welding equipment and the smell of molten metal in a small workshop, Avishai Parnes, a professional welder and the inventor of the “Tomer Adapter,” explained the spark of ingenuity that led to its creation. “I have a good friend named Kobi Teller, who is the cause of this all. A few months into the war, he called and said he had an idea for mounting a scope on his Negev machine gun. He explained this concept to me, and I immediately saw its potential and significance for our soldiers on the battlefield,” Parnes recounted.

Eager for the challenge, Parnes measured Teller’s Negev and engineered the adapter using a machine in his modest carpentry studio. Teller’s successful field tests quickly drew attention from other reservists using the same older model.

Asked to produce several dozen more adaptors, Parnes was initially reluctant due to the logistical challenges. However, when Darshan heard about the project, he took on the management, enabling on-demand production. “I’ll tell you the truth, I didn’t earn any money from this, but the conversations with the soldiers who use the Negev, some of whom give feedback, are amazing,” Parnes said.

The adaptors have had a profound impact. Reservists have praised the ability to mount professional scopes on the Negev machine guns, transforming them into precision tools. “It’s saving our lives. It helps us be more accurate in combat. Many more soldiers need these,” were some of the reactions Parnes and Darshan received from grateful reservists.

The project quickly gained momentum, with overwhelming responses from various military units eager to obtain the adaptors. According to Darshan, numerous elite and critical units of the IDF, especially those engaged in urban warfare in Gaza, have requested the adaptors. “Every unit that received the adaptor reported significant improvements in their operational capabilities. The scope’s precision allows soldiers to engage targets more accurately, reducing collateral damage and saving lives,” Darshan explained.

The overwhelming demand has necessitated the expansion of the project, seeking additional funding to meet the needs of all requesting units.

In naming their project, Darshan and Parnes were inspired by the story of Sgt. Tomer Nagar, a 20-year-old Negevist from the Golani Brigade who was killed on October 7 while defending the Kissufim military post. “Tomer fought alone against dozens of squads for 40 minutes, holding off the attackers with his Negev,” Tomer’s father, Ezra Nagar, told TPS-IL.

Parnes and Darshan are now looking to secure funding to produce additional adaptors and potentially develop other enhancements for military equipment. The project not only honors Tomer Nagar's legacy but also provides a vital tool to those defending Israel.

In the broader context, at least 1,200 people were killed, and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in Hamas’s attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7. Tensions remain high, with Hezbollah continuing attacks in northern Israel, forcing nearly 80,000 Israelis to evacuate their homes near the Lebanon border.

Israeli officials are calling for Hezbollah to be disarmed and removed from southern Lebanon in accordance with UN Security Council resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 Second Lebanon War.

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