My case for can Venezuela get in before 2020?

[MarkSheppard]

Fabrique Nationale Mauser 98 Clones

In the mid 1930s right up to WW2; Venezula ordered several variants of the Mauser 98 from FN, with an initial order of 16,500 Short Rifles/Carbines in 1934-1935; semi-known variants purchased were:

FN Model 1924
FN Model 1930

All were in the 7x57mm Mauser Chambering.

Fabrique Nationale FN49

4,000 of these were purchased in 1948 and 4,000 more in 1951. This was the first major sale of FN49 rifles ever made; and they were chambered for the 7x57mm Mauser round.

Fabrique Nationale FAL

In 1953, the Venezulan Army wanted 5,000 more FN49's but was told by FN that the FN49 was no longer being manufactured. FN instead offered a new design which was known by several names in different languages:

English: LAR (Light Automatic Rifle)
French: FAL (Fusil Automatique Leger)
Spanish: FAL (Fusil Automatico Liviano)

Venezula wanted the FAL in their 'standard' 7x57mm Mauser chambering, but FN refused to make unique receivers that could chamber the longer mauser; and offered them in:

British .280/30 (aka 7mm FN Short)
American T65A3 (aka 7.62 NATO)

Two prototypes (one in .280 British and one in 7.62 NATO) were sent, and after trials, Venezula and FN negotiated a compromise cartridge.

The compromise was 7x49mm “Second Optimum”. This cartridge was 140 grains at 2,750 fps and was basically a long .280 bullet in a shortened T65A3 case to keep the overall length of the round within that of 7.62 NATO.

On 30 November 1954, Venezula ordered 5,000 rifles in two variants; the 50-00 Automatic Rifle (FAL) and the 50-42 Heavy Barreled Automatic Rifle (FAP -- Fusil Automatico Pesado).

In 1961, a second batch of 50-00 Automatic Rifles (FAL) were ordered in 7.62 NATO, along with a contract to convert all previous Automatic Rifles chambered in 7x49mm to 7.62 NATO.

In 1974, a batch of 10,000 50-63 Para Automatic Rifles with folding stocks were purchased.

Kalashnikov AK-103

In May 2005, the Chavez government completed the purchase of 100,000 AK-103/AK-104 rifles chambered in 7.62x39mm along with 74 million rounds of ammunition.

Later in 2006, a contract was signed for factories in Venezula to produce both the AK-103/104 family of rifles (at 25,000 rifles a year) and 7.62x39mm ammo (at 50 million rounds/year).

The rifle factory may FINALLY actually enter operation some time in 2019. No idea on the ammo factory.

Sources:
https://www.forgottenweapons.com/arm...nezuelan-coup/
(check out the comments too)

http://tass.com/defense/997625

[MarkSheppard]

Dassault Mirage

In the early 1970s, Venezula began to study replacing the F-86K Sabredog, and in 1971, the Dassault Mirage family was chosen, with the following aircraft ordered:

10 x Mirage IIIEV
Single seat fighter-bomber. Five hardpoints (4 wing, 1 ventral). Venezula chose the AIM-9B instead of the Matra 530, and for ground attack missions, two 68mm rocket launchers or 8 x 227 kg bombs could be carried by by the Mirage IIIEV. Survivors upgraded to Mirage 50EV standard.

4 x Mirage 5V
Single seat ground attack aircraft. Seven hardpoints. Survivors upgraded to Mirage 50EV standard.

2 x Mirage 5DV
Two Seat Trainer.

In 1979, studies began to modernize the Mirage; but this was delayed from 1980-1982 by the competition that ultimately selected the F-16 (Mirage 50 and Kfir were losers in that). Once the F-16 program was done, the Mirage modernization program resumed at the end of 1982; with the final agreements reached in January 1985; but due to the collapse of oil prices, this contract was cancelled.

The Caldas Crisis of August 1987 caused a new modernization contract to be signed in June 1989 with Dassault; consisting of:

5 x Mirage IIIEV (modernization)
3 x Mirage 5V (modernization)
2 x Mirage 5DV (modernization)
6 x Mirage 50EV (new build)
1 x Mirage 50DV (new build)
3 x Mirage 5M (ex-Zaire aircraft)

All 20 aircraft would be upgraded to the same common Mirage 50EV / Mirage 50DV standard; with a 20% more powerful engine, inflight refuelling, new ejection seats, and weapons were:

MATRA 2 Infrared AAMs
AM-39 Exocet Antiship missiles
Durandal II/BAP Anti Runway Bombs
Mk 82 Free Fall Bombs
68mm JL-100R rocket launchers

Due to crashes during the conversion program, the actual final operational Mirage 50 fleet ended up at 16, instead of 18 as originally planned. The first Mirage 50EV was delivered 30 November 1990, and the last was delivered in 1992.

By 2008, three Mirage 50EV were withdrawn from service as spares for the others. The remaining aircraft were withdrawn in June 2009 after 35 years of service.

In September 2009, Ecuador inspected the Mirage fleet for transfer to their air force, and a contract was signed. Six Mirage 50s were transferred to Ecuador, with the first 3 arriving there on 29 October 2009.

On 10 December 2009 the official retirement ceremony for the Mirage in the FAV was held, and on 15 December 2009, the other three aircraft in the Ecuador order were transferred.

Source:
https://www.fav-club.com/2014/01/15/...-en-venezuela/