Back around the time of the Israeli occupation of parts of Lebanon, the Israeli Army too the Uzi submachineguns from the Israeli Tank force crews, who are regarded as an elite force among the Israeli milkitary, and for good reason. The idea was that by replacing the 9mm pistol-caliber subguns with a cutdown Galil assault rifle, the Israeli Army ammo supply would be simplified, and the tank crews would be better equipped for other routine duties like guarding roadblock checkpoints and headquarters facilities. The Galils shorty versions, known as Glilon to the tankists were heavier than an Uzi, less managable inside the confines of a tank, and had a bulkier magazine, the pouch for which hung up on the edge of turret and driver's hatches- the earlier Uzi magazines were easily carried in inside pockets of the tankists' coveralls.
So the dislike of the new weapon was made known in subtle ways. Some were run over by tanks, crushed or bent double like a hairpin. Others suffered very bent barrels. Others had parts lost during maintenance. Finally, after nearly a fourth of the new weapons required either rebuilding or outright replacement, it was decided to replace them with cutdown versions of the US-msupplied M16. Surely the finicy tank crews would appreciate that!
Nope. The aluminum and plastic wonder tow was not appreciated. The short barre; threw a horribly huge muzzle flash at night, and the plastic collapsible stocks on the shorties didn't retract fully flushwith the rear of the weapon the way the old Uzi's did, making them again bulky and cumbersome coming out of a tank in a hurry. Which the Istraely tank crews practice with the dedication of Olympic athletes. More broken, bent and ruined rifles resulted. A second issue of shorty M16s was obtained, this time the then-new American M4 carbine. No big difference, and again, the numbers of damaged and destroyed rifles began to add up.
Last I heard, some tank outfits were trying the new Israelu Tavor bullpup 5,56mm carbine. The magazines are about the same size as those of the two 5,56mm predecessors, so once agaiin the new rifles may not be seen as much of an improvement.
But now there's this new Uzi, with an electronic sight and plastic buttstock that's likely pretty easy to remove or break off and throw away. Perhaps it'll be just what the Nahal tank crews have been hoping for....
