G, noun

The seventh letter of the alphabet, placed before numbers to designate locally-designed and manufactured howitzers, developed after an arms embargo came into effect in 1977.
a. G5: A 155 mm howitzer. Also attributive.
1979 Cape Times 26 Apr. 1Two brand-new South African weapons, the G5 artillery piece and the R4 service rifle, were yesterday taken out of wraps at a press conference in Cape Town.
1979 Evening Post 10 May 3The development of the G5 was recently completed by Armscor as prescribed by the chief of the army. The G5 gun..will be used in conventional and unconventional warfare.
1982 Jane’s Armour & Artillery 1982–3 568No specification or performance data on the G5 has been released but it is believed to be able to fire a HE projectile weighing 45.5 kg to a maximum range of 30 000 metres.
1987 S. Afr. Digest 10 July 9The international arms boycott against South Africa..led to the development of weapons such as the Ratel CV (infantry combat vehicle); 155 mm G5 field gun,..127 mm MRL (multiple rocket launcher); and the G6 HMSP (high mobility self-propelled) howitzer.
1991 G. Evans et al. in Weekly Mail 1 Feb. 10Military sources said yesterday it was very probable that some of the 200 G5 mobile howitzers bought from Armscor by Iraq have already been put to use in this week’s land battles.
b. G6: A version of the G5, mounted on a self-propelled vehicle. Also attributive.
1987 [see sense a].
1989 E. Prov. Herald 9 Mar. 4South Africa..exhibited everything from riot control equipment to..a G-6, the self-propelled armoured version of the G-5.
1991 G. Evans et al. in Weekly Mail 1 Feb. 10South Africa has now supplied both sides in the Gulf War, as it has recently sold 70 G6 heavy artillery systems to the United Arab Emirates.
The seventh letter of the alphabet, placed before numbers to designate locally-designed and manufactured howitzers, developed after an arms embargo came into effect in 1977.
G5:A 155 mm howitzer. Also attributive.
G6:A version of the G5, mounted on a self-propelled vehicle. Also attributive.
Entry Navigation

Visualise Quotations

Quotation summary

Senses

19791991